This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The West Valley Police Department's Deputy Chief Mike Powell has submitted his resignation, confirmed department spokeswoman Roxeanne Vainuku.
Powell was among those named last week in a federal lawsuit filed by former West Valley City police officer Shaun Cowley, but Vainuku said there is "no connection" between the lawsuit and Powell's resignation, effective Tuesday.
Asked Monday night about a KSL report of his resignation, Powell responded, "That's interesting," and said he would read the reports before deciding whether to comment. Powell didn't answer a follow-up call.
Vainuku provided no further detail about Powell's resignation and said WVCPD Chief Lee Russo was not available for comment.
Cowley claims in U.S. District Court that he was defamed and suffered emotional distress because he was made a "scapegoat" in his fatal shooting of 21-year-old Danielle Willard during a 2012 undercover operation.
He accuses Powell of witness tampering by ordering fellow officers not to testify at Cowley's termination appeal.
Powell also served as spokesman for the West Valley Police Department during its investigation of Susan Powell's disappearance.
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