Holly MatkinMoab, UT – A Moab police officer who referred to the assistant chief as a “c—ksucker” over the police radio is now without a job.
Moab Police Officer Everett Gist issued the public insult against Moab Assistant Police Chief Braydon Palmer while signing off over the dispatch radio, KSTU reported.
“It was nice working with you guys, but Braydon and the rest of them are a bunch of c—ksuckers,” Officer Gist said.
It is unclear whether Officer Gist resigned or if he was fired, but a City of Moab spokesperson has confirmed he is no longer employed by the Moab Police Department (MPD), KSTU reported.
Officer Gist worked for the Utah Department of Corrections prior to recently joining the MPD.
Assistant Chief Palmer told the news outlet that Gist was a probationary officer when he made the “shocking” statement over the dispatch radio.
“Beyond that, I don’t know there’s anything else to say on it,” the assistant chief told KSTU. “I think the only comment I would make is we wish the best for this individual…He was a probationary member of our team and is no longer employed by our agency. At this point in time, we are not going to comment on personnel matters.”
Assistant Chief Palmer said Officer Gist’s outburst had “nothing to do with ongoing investigations,” but he refused to provide further details, KSTU reported.
MPD has been facing multiple difficulties as of late, including an investigation into how the department handled a report of a domestic disturbance between Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie just weeks before she was found dead in a dispersed camping area in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park.
MPD Chief Bret Edge took an abrupt, indefinite leave of absence under the federal Family Medical Leave Act on Monday.
Details regarding his leave of absence have not been released.
