This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Sandy • Before disciplining nine peace officers for misconduct, Utah's police board on Wednesday approved a revised curriculum that will teach all cadets to fight with their hands before drawing weapons.

"I want them to be comfortable using the lowest level of force, which is their hands," said Maj. Scott Stephenson, the director of the Utah Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) — the state's police academy.

Stephenson said hand-to-hand combat was already taught to would-be street officers in the later stages of the academy. The council that oversees POST on Wednesday voted to move that training into the early stages of academy training so all varieties of the state's law enforcement — from city and county police officers to more specialized occupations like jail guards and park rangers — are less likely to reach for a TASER or chemical spray when a suspect tries to punch them.

Trained officers might still opt to reach for one of those weapons first, depending on the scenario, Stephenson said.

Stephenson said POST developed the revisions while speaking with law enforcement agencies across the state about how non-lethal weapons are not necessarily as effective as fighting with one's hands.

Also Wednesday, the council issued discipline to nine peace officers found to have committed misconduct.

One of them was Christopher Smith, a full-time officer for the Utah Department of Natural Resources and a part-time officer for Hurricane. POST investigators found he had sex on-duty with another Natural Resources officer at least five times, according to a presentation to the council.

Smith appeared Wednesday and apologized.

"I'm ashamed of myself for what I've done and know that I've let a lot of people down," he said.

Council members suspended Smith's law enforcement certification for three years. A case against the other Natural Resources officer is pending.

The council, which is comprised of police chiefs, sheriffs and other representatives from law enforcement and local governments, opted to issue only a letter of caution to a Utah Transit Authority officer who failed to disclose on his employment application that he underwent rehabilitation treatment for an addiction to prescription narcotics. The officer was hired in 2014 even though UTA discovered his addiction history during a background check. The then-UTA police chief opted to hire the officer anyway, according to a presentation to the council.

Falsifying an application would normally yield a one-year suspension, but council members felt that since the chief overlooked it, they shouldn't suspend the officer.

The council also suspended or revoked the police powers of:

— Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office: Shaun Bingham, three-year suspension for smoking marijuana; Lonnie Martinez, one-year suspension for falsifying his duty log; Tyson Mooney, revoked his certification for assault, domestic violence in the presence of a child and unlawful detention.

— St. George police: Amber Kay Steele, revoked her certification for domestic violence, intoxication, violation of a jail release agreement and obstruction of justice.

— Utah Department of Corrections: LeTerrio Henry, two-year suspension for driving under the influence.

— Not employed, but certified at the time of the offenses: Mariano Lopez, three-month suspension for intoxication; Jonathan G. Tesch, 2 1/2 year suspension for driving under the influence, open container and being an alcohol restricted driver in violation of those condition.

Twitter: @natecarlisle