SPRINGDALE, Utah — A Springdale police officer has been placed on paid administrative leave following his arrest on multiple misdemeanor charges related to an alleged domestic violence incident.
Officer Britt Ballard, a 10-year veteran of the Springdale Police Department, was taken into custody late on May 4 in Hurricane, Utah, after police responded to a reported family disturbance. Ballard now faces 10 misdemeanor charges, including assault, threat of violence, and six counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child. A protective order was filed against him by his wife the following day.
While Ballard is on leave, he will continue to receive his full salary and benefits, as per department policy. According to TransparentUtah.gov, Ballard earned just over $101,000 in salary in 2023, with an additional $66,000 in benefits. With only ten officers on the force, Ballard’s absence accounts for 10% of the Springdale Police Department’s personnel.
The department confirmed that Ballard’s status is currently under internal review but declined to answer questions about the expected timeline for the investigation or the potential operational impact of his absence.
In a statement, Lieutenant J.J. Ray said, “The Springdale Police Department is aware of the situation involving Officer Britt Ballard and is taking the matter seriously. We are conducting an internal investigation in accordance with department policy and cannot comment further while that process is ongoing.”
The use of paid leave in such cases has drawn scrutiny from taxpayer advocacy groups. Bill Hesterman, president of the Utah Taxpayers Association, noted the financial implications for the public.
“It’s the taxpayers who are on the hook during the process,” Hesterman said. “If that individual is ultimately found guilty and terminated, there’s really no way to recover that money. It’s just lost.”
Still, Hesterman emphasized the importance of due process for public employees. “We have to err on the side of assuming someone is innocent before imposing punishments like revoking their salary,” he said. “That’s part of our American values—your right to make your case and be judged by your peers.”
Hesterman also floated the idea of reforms, including restitution mechanisms or a state-managed fund to assist small departments during prolonged absences of key personnel.
“This could certainly have an impact on our smaller communities where being down a police officer makes it hard to operate,” he said. “Maybe there could be some type of government account to help supplement our smaller communities when these situations arise. Hopefully, that is rare.”
As of now, no court date has been publicly announced, and Ballard remains on administrative leave pending the outcome of both the criminal proceedings and the internal departmental review.