Utah prison admits K-9 death in hot car was preventable, officer reassigned

SALT LAKE CITY — More than a year since the K-9 officer named Loki was found dead in a Utah State Correctional Facility vehicle, prosecutors have still not released the results of the investigation, including details about what exactly happened to the dog.

What happened?

447 days have passed since then Loki, a working K-9, was found dead in his handler's truck near the Utah State Prison kennels on July 13, 2023. Temperatures that day were in the high 90s. Since then, KSL investigators have filed dozens of public records requests with multiple state agencies. All were denied, citing ongoing investigations.

While the Utah Department of Corrections has not revealed exactly what led to the K-9's death, Glen Mills, director of communications and government relations for the Utah Department of Corrections, acknowledged that Loki's death was preventable. “Absolutely. No question,” Mills said.

The status of the official

Mills confirmed that the officer involved in Loki's death is still employed by the department. The officer was placed on paid leave for nearly four months following Loki's death, costing taxpayers $20,957.30.

While the handler has returned to duty, Mills said he no longer has a K-9 and is not involved in the department's K-9 program. When asked if he would be allowed to have a K-9 in the future, Mills said, “There is no plan for that at this point.”

Mills did not disclose whether disciplinary action was taken against the officer, citing the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office's ongoing investigation.

More than a year after a K-9 died in a hot vehicle at the Utah State Correctional Facility, the handler responsible for it still works for the department. KSL investigators are investigating how much the incident cost taxpayers. (Utah Department of Corrections)

The cost to the taxpayer

KSL investigators determined the incident has cost taxpayers $40,757.30 to date. That includes $20,957.30 for the officer's paid leave and $9,900 each for Loki and his successor Max. These figures do not take into account the time the department spent training a new K-9: one eight-week course plus annual recertification.

The estimate also does not include the cost of the K-9 death investigation. This investigation was conducted by the State Bureau of Investigation. KSL investigators reached out to the State Bureau of Investigation Monday for a cost estimate but received no response.

Changes in the department

Mills said the Utah Department of Corrections has since updated its policies to prevent a similar incident from occurring again. The new guidelines clearly define when a K-9 should be in a car or kennel, establish stricter requirements for K-9 handlers and include regular inspections of vehicles and equipment to ensure they are functioning properly. Mills said the department also plans to equip all vehicles with warning systems that could notify officers if a vehicle is overheating.

“Aside from the cost, the tragedy here is the loss of a dog control officer,” Mills said. “We rely on our canine officers to fulfill our mission here at the Department of Corrections, and they play a key role in doing so. So that’s the most devastating thing about the whole thing.”

KSL investigators have also contacted the prosecutor's office asking for comment on why the investigation is taking so long. In a statement, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill wrote: “This is an ongoing investigation. We requested and received materials from the Utah Department of Corrections just last week. We believe it is the responsibility of this office to be thorough in the investigation of an accident that resulted in the death of K9 Officer Loki.”

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