Former St. George Police school resource officer stripped of certification for life

SANTA CLARA — A former St. George police school resource officer, Brandon Haws, appeared before the Utah Peace Officers Standards and Training Council in Santa Clara on Thursday to ask for leniency at a disciplinary hearing. Haws sent inappropriate photographs of himself to a teenage boy, resulting in a unanimous decision by the council to revoke his police certification for life.

As reported by the Deseret News, Lindsay Jarvis, an attorney representing Haws at the hearing, told the council that Haws’s involvement with the 17 year old boy was an attempt to act as a big brother or mentor to him. Haws lost his father when he was 4 years old and the student had lost his father in a car accident.

It was reported that Haws and the teen began exchanging text messages, photos and communicating through social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Jarvis reportedly told the council that an internal affairs investigation revealed that Haws was not trying to have a sexual relationship with the teen and instead Haws made a mistake and “began acting like a teenager.”

Haws admitted to the council that he had sent lewd pictures of himself to the boy, but he told the council his actions did not warrant revocation of his certification.”I have lived my entire life to be a police officer, I am not here to have a pity party,” Haws said.

Not long after the admission, the council voted unanimously to revoke Haws’s certification for life preventing him from ever again working in law enforcement.

Fox13 News reported that the number of officers being investigated for misconduct has been increasing so much that POST has hired a fifth investigator.

POST received 176 complaints in 2013 resulting in 108 investigations with DUI, domestic violence and lying being the most prevalent offenses.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2014, all rights reserved.

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31 Comments

  • Allan March 28, 2014 at 10:17 pm

    How the …* is he not in jail?! Abuse if power, abuse of a positron of trust…He should be locked up, the certification is a secondary consequence. Absolutely ridiculous.
    Ed. ellipsis: …*

  • Allan March 28, 2014 at 10:18 pm

    How is he not in jail?! Abuse of power, abuse of a positron of trust…He should be locked up, the certification is a secondary consequence. Absolutely ridiculous.

    • OUTRAGED March 31, 2014 at 12:07 am

      I agree! The Salt Lake Tribune reported this:
      “When council member and Utah Highway Patrol Col. Daniel Fuhr asked Haws if he really did send the teenager photos of himself simulating an erection and graphic images of teens from another school, Haws answered yes.”
      I find it completely outrageous that people would go so far as to defend this predator who should be held to a higher standard the moment he accepted his badge. It seems to be a continuing theme with SGPD enforcing laws that they themselves are breaking.

      • Bub March 31, 2014 at 11:04 am

        Gotta wonder how “graphic” those images were of other teens? Maybe he’s guilty of criminal distribution of content, but I won’t speculate.

  • Bub March 29, 2014 at 12:10 am

    A gay pedophile cop right here in Dixie? hmm

    • Dana March 29, 2014 at 5:02 pm

      Bub, you’re projecting again. Mr. Haws is not gay. Furthermore, MOST pedos are heterosexual. Ask Warren Jeffs and his cronies. Ask the mo’s about Joe Smith.

      • Bub March 30, 2014 at 11:20 am

        I realize that. He’s probably just a dude that spent way too much time around teenagers and forgot about boundaries…

  • Bnomara March 29, 2014 at 10:37 am

    Everyone is so quick to judge, if you never knew B. Haws you would know he is everything that a “Pervert” is not, its not double standard or the fact the he was wearing blue, people are so quick to judge who he was, he was always the first one who wanted to help someone, the only reason why he was so close with anyone is because he’s grown up with all of is in our class, the year our class switched to the high school from the middle, he did too, he wasn’t just a resource officer, he was everyone’s friend he’s been there as we have all grown up through the years, someone to talk to when you needed help, he’s personally helped me through some of my most difficult times, everyone at Pine View was devastated when he was removed from the school, all the kids including the troubled ones adored haws because he cared, so everyone on here or on Facebook calling him a pervert, or saying that he deserves jail time, your wrong… Officer haws was a great police officer, I don’t think the intentions were to ever mean any harm at all, that’s not who the officer was, before all of you judge him for a mistake, make sure you’re all perfect too

    • ladybugavenger March 29, 2014 at 1:23 pm

      He’s a grown …* man…lewd pictures a mistake? He sent lewd pictures to a 17 yr old boy. That is a pedeophile! BNOMARA If he sent lewd pictures to a 17 yr old female, while in a position of authority or not, is that ok for you? NOt….what are you defending? You don’t know his intentions. Your defending lewd pictures being sent to a minor.
      Ed. ellipsis: …*

      • Bnomara March 29, 2014 at 1:50 pm

        I know exactly what I’m defending and what I’m standing up for, I never once said what happened was okay, misjudgment yes, but get your facts straight before you go around calling people you don’t know pedophiles, OFFICER HAWS WAS NOT A PEDOPHILE, he’s got a family and kids, he wouldn’t ever do something to hurt somebody. He’s been there for me in ways I couldn’t even explain as a law enforcement officer and as a friend. He didn’t deserve any of this, its ignorant that people go around running their mouths about things they don’t know anything about, and yes I know for a FACT his intentions would of never been any harm to anyone. That’s not the kind of person he was, and many kids and adults that actually go to PV and have known him through the years like myself would agree, Do you think the whole school was wanting to start a petition to bring back a “pedophile” ? No, because they knew what kind of officer he was to that school, and how much he made a difference in the lives of many kids, B. Haws is one of the best police officers I’ve ever had the privilege of meeting, and that’s what I’m defending.

        • ladybugavenger March 29, 2014 at 2:51 pm

          I have never in my life sent a lewd picture to anyone. Period. End of story.

        • camanawana March 29, 2014 at 5:23 pm

          Oh , h’es a great police officer alright . Just the kind I could trust with my young son. He’s living a double life. Sort of like a schitzophrenic. Just what i want around my children. Trustworthy and stable sending lewd pics to a 17 yr old vulnerable boy. BNOMARA, you have your head up your ass. That pervert should be locked up.

          • Bnomara March 30, 2014 at 12:18 am

            Wow… now that’s just ridiculous, now I have my head up my …*? No, I don’t care what you say, that Officer has been there for me, and I know what kind of person he is, and there is nothing you or anyone else could that would change my mind, so I’m done with this, I just don’t get how people could even judge someone they don’t even know? Or even know the situation, like I’ve already said I know for a fact haw’s intentions weren’t meant to harm anyone, so think about how hard it is already on him when your making comments like this, and if you knew him, you would know he has great integrity and trust as a law enforcement officer and as a person, badge or not, he’s a normal caring guy, not the type of person you and other people are making him out to be, but I forgot you and everybody else have never made a mistake in your life, so why not point all fingers at haws for a dumb one like this, he didn’t deserve this, I’ve said what I wanted to say, I’m done.
            Ed. ellipsis: …*

  • Tinker Toys March 29, 2014 at 11:51 am

    Why was there no arrest? Maybe the victim’s parents are in the cops ward and they didn’t want to expose their fellow member to justice.

  • Annie March 29, 2014 at 6:30 pm

    Pedophile yes, Gay no.

  • justinklyn March 30, 2014 at 10:01 am

    A picture of me flipping you off, or mooning you with my pants still on or anything could be defined as a lewd picture. (does that make a person gay or a pedophile? I don’t think so.) So before you start judging people, maybe if you don’t have all the facts and don’t know what the … you are talking about, maybe you all should be the ones to pull your head out of your *** and quit judging people. Obviously BNOMORA knows this man and what kind of person he is and you don’t so keep your comments to your self. I cannot judge one way or the other and I am not going to because I DON’T have all the facts.
    Ed. ellipsis.

    • ladybugavenger March 30, 2014 at 12:36 pm

      You never really know anybody! If that was my son that did that, I would say the same thing about him as I do about this guy. If I did it, I would say the same thing about myself as I do about this guy. I will judge someone’s actions as I am suppose to. God will judge their soul and where it goes as He will judge mine. All of you people who say don’t judge, to you I say, get some judgement. Should he have mercy? of course, I suppose that’s why he was charged with no crime as of yet. Did he have bad judgement, of course. He is probably a person that does not judge others actions or behaviors and in that comes bad judgement of oneself.

  • Brendon gunn March 30, 2014 at 12:30 pm

    The definition of lewd in this particular demographic could be something that most of us might think of as normal. Even if it was a bird finger or ass cheeks then maybe he shouldn’t be working at the school. However, Until we know exactly what the picture was, maybe we shouldn’t be bashing his character. I’m not a Christian but I know what your book says: “he who is without spot cast the first stone”. There are a lot of stones being cast at this guy which means that there must be a lot of perfect people posting here. Leave him alone and quit trying to embarrass him and his family until you have your facts straight.

    • OUTRAGED March 31, 2014 at 12:10 am

      The Salt Lake Tribune reported this:
      “When council member and Utah Highway Patrol Col. Daniel Fuhr asked Haws if he really did send the teenager photos of himself simulating an erection and graphic images of teens from another school, Haws answered yes.”

  • Bnomara March 30, 2014 at 5:28 pm

    Thank you JUSTINKYLN
    If any of you knew haws like I did, he was the type of person to joke around with everyone, that’s what made him different from just a normal resource officer, he related to the kids, as to why he was so respected by everyone at that school, I miss him being around there, everyone does. It says that it was investigated and proved to be no sexual intentions involved, he doesn’t deserve this negative attention of being called a Perv or a pedophile, he has to much integrity for something like that, but I must suffer from this rare condition called “respect for others” as to why I don’t go around judging people and situations I don’t know all the facts about. Thank you for all your service Officer Haws, and I’m sorry you and your family have to go through something like this.

    • ladybugavenger March 30, 2014 at 11:18 pm

      Have you seen the picture he sent of himself to a 17 year old boy. If not, then you are judging without knowing all the facts too. Making you no different than anyone else commenting just doing it from a different side.

      • Bnomara March 31, 2014 at 2:19 pm

        At least my judgment is based off the facts I’m sure about, you don’t know anything about the picture or what was sent or let alone anything about the man your accusing to be a pervert, its called respect, I never said what happened wasn’t wrong, but don’t you think by now he is double thinking his actions, maybe just a suspension would of been appropriate, but removed certification for life? He loved being a cop, not because he got to take people to jail, but because he liked helping people, nobody has ever made me feel as safe as that man your accusing of being such a bad person in your own judgment, all I was saying in the first place is get all your facts straight before you make comments like that. You being so perfect probably couldn’t imagine what his family and him are going through given the situation and all the news, so back off, read the facts, and give him and his family a break, I’m sure lessons were learned, I’ll be the first one to stand in front of anyone and tell them that Haws is a good man, and never meant any harm to anyone, he deserves respect. End of story.

  • ladybugavenger March 30, 2014 at 11:13 pm

    The definition of lewd is; crude and offensive in a sexual way. The article says his attorney said that the internal investigation said it was not of sexual nature. However, haws admitted sending lewd pictures of himself. Perhaps if they were not sexual in nature than he shouldn’t admit they were lewd pictures of himself. That’s why people are saying the things they are saying because of the word lewd and the definition of the word.

  • Jon R. Cocktoasten March 31, 2014 at 9:09 am

    There was no arrest because there was NO crime!!! I love all the stone casters!!! Let us all hope that none of you EVER do something wrong (Yeah I said WRONG!) even if you don’t break the law! I can only wish to be as righteous as all of you who choose to judge someone based on what’s reported in the news… I’ll bet 90% of you wouldn’t believe a word of it if the news reported something positive about our Supreme Dictator Obama! Nuff said!

  • charles March 31, 2014 at 10:31 am

    I for a fact knew officer brandon personally, I was a high school student and my freshman year got in to some trouble, if it wasn’t for him I would be in jail or possibly Dead, he helped me flip my life 180, did he joke around yes but he never meant any thing. And for every one saying if you haven’t seen the picture to judge, shame on you. We all make mistakes in life, and I did see the pictures, and all of you who think it was him showing his dick you’re wrong it says what could be am erect photo, officer Haws tried to understand us rather then best us all down and act power hungry he deserves respect, he is not gay he is not a perv he is a father figure I will respect for my whole life, he made a mistake and for every one quoting the bible and god, does good not tell us to forgive and all of us who do not forgive are the ones in trouble? Just think about it and have respect for him and his family, stop posting about how you judge him learn to have heart and realize he just lost his job and messed his life up because he made a mistake.

  • Panda March 31, 2014 at 10:41 am

    Law enforcement should be above reproach. Sending lewd photos simulating erection is wrong no matter what kind of a spin you put on it. I don’t want someone like that around my teenager. He’s also not the only resource officer that needs to be removed from law enforcement in this town.

  • ladybugavenger March 31, 2014 at 2:50 pm

    Why don’t all of you people that say “dont judge” tell the council that banned him from being in law enforcement for life, to not judge. Tell the council dont judge him, he’s a nice guy, he helped so many, it was a mistake, do you live in a glass house, stop throwing stones…

    • ladybugavenger March 31, 2014 at 6:38 pm

      To the people who say ” don’t judge” get some judgment. He sent lewd pictures to a teenager! criminal charges should be brought! Where’s Chris Hansen?

  • Classof2013 April 1, 2014 at 1:17 pm

    Here’s the thing, Officer Haws may not have done anything explicit and may not be under criminal chargers, but as a perspective from someone who was with him for many years- I believe Haws losing his certification was the right thing to happen. Simply because, Haws has always been very VERY inappropriate with students and no student can deny that. Whether it was sketchy jokes, nipple-pinching, rough-housing, name-calling, or walking away from campus with students. All of this is wrong behavior and definitely not what I would expect from a school officer. He made me, a girl, very uncomfortable and I could never get along with him like all the boys did. So yes, he might have been cool and helped many people, I believe it. But acting like a teenager and texting everyone and being friends with them on facebook is not appropriate. Sadly, opening up his life like that has made him vulnerable to a lot of scrutiny now. I would rather have an uptight, asshole of an officer enforcing the rules at my school than someone like Haws who always let people off the hook for their friendship. So to all the people defending him- face the fact that there is a certain degree of professionalism people were expecting from him. And to the people jumping to conclusions about Haws above and beyond what has really happened- be mindful of other’s opinions. Another thing- he is being investigated now and perhaps something negative will further come out of this. What we know now is that police officer’s are being held to their promises to not be a ‘good friend’ or a ‘father figure’ but to be law enforcers and protectors.

    • ladybugavenger April 1, 2014 at 6:19 pm

      Very well said, CLASSOF2013

  • David November 8, 2017 at 11:04 am

    I was enrolled at PV while he was the SRO, the dude was a creep and a lame. He singled me out and watched me on the schools camera system and even followed me like he was involved in espionage for almost a month until he caught me smoking OFF CAMPUS. I hope this humiliation follows this creep the rest of his miserable life.

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