The action comes amid concerns that too many of the board's recommendations have been reversed by the police chief and that its members were harassed during a city leak investigation.

Antje Curry, who has been on the board for about two years, submitted

her resignation on Monday. In an e-mail to Mayor Rocky Anderson, Curry said her decision comes with "considerable distress" and "regret."

The board, she wrote, has fallen victim to an "ideological conflict between the mayor and the police chief and as a result has been rendered ineffective in its important job of monitoring police irregularities. To remain under these circumstances would be to perpetuate the illusion that we still can function."

Curry's resignation follows those of chairman Dan Levin and vice-chairwoman Susan Webster, who resigned last week, and board member Nafitalia Unga Kioa, who also stepped down Monday.

Anderson said Monday that the resignations are largely the fault of Levin, whom he said he asked to resign about 10 days ago after Levin allegedly made threats to go public with information that would embarrass Police Chief Chris Burbank.

The mayor said he believes the other board members may have been influenced by "misinformation" from Levin.

"She [Curry] talks about an ideological conflict between the mayor and the police chief. There is none. Never has been," Anderson said. "The good members of this board resigned following the resignation of Levin."

Levin, who has been a member of the review board since 2003, denied that he has perpetuated any misinformation, made any threat to embarrass Burbank or tried to persuade others to resign. Curry and Kioa also denied being influenced by Levin.

"The only person I discussed my resignation with on the board previous to resigning was Susan Webster, who as vice chair, would have to become chair," he said.

The review board, created in 1993 by then-Police Chief Ruben Ortega, was reformed in 2002 by Anderson, who beefed it up with power to investigate complaints against an officer, then forward a recommendation to the police chief.

The only one of its kind in Utah, the board has been touted by Anderson as a way to increase the police department's accountability and transparency. But during the past few years, the board has seen many of its findings - such as excessive force - dismissed by the police chief.

It also came under fire after The Salt Lake Tribune, based on unnamed sources, reported that the board sustained allegations of excessive force against officers who confronted an unarmed man in Liberty Park last fall.

The police union, which has always eyed the review board warily, pressured the mayor to find out who the source was. The City Attorney's Office hired a private investigator to find the source of the leak, but the investigator was unable to find the source.

But the investigation, which the mayor said was needed to ensure the integrity of the process, apparently took a toll on the board, whose members were put under a cloud of suspicion and asked to turn over personal phone records. Curry said she believes the mayor and chief have lost confidence in the board - and the feeling, as far as she is concerned, is mutual.

"The purported 'leak,' " wrote Curry, "has prevailed in dismantling what seemed so successful - a process that eliminated the few bad apples in a strong and reputable police department. What remains is significant damage in both the mayor and the chief's office."

Combined with unfilled vacancies from last fall, the 14-member volunteer board now has just five voting members and will be severely hampered in its ability to perform its duties.

Anderson said his office is "working hard" to get the vacancies filled. "I want to talk to some of them who resigned to reconsider. I think they've been working under misapprehension of the facts."

It is unclear whether he will have any success with Curry, who praised Levin for "having the courage to lead the way in resigning."

Curry, who served 21 years as an attorney for the Utah Supreme Court, ended her resignation letter with a Latin-tinged note about the damage done to the board. "I'll leave it to you to answer the question cui bono [who benefits?]. I'll answer for you the question cui malo [Who is harmed?] The inhabitants of our great city."

israel@sltrib.com

ncarlisle@sltrib.com