Ogden police officer Matt Jones is not on administrative leave for allegedly posting a sign saying, "Welcome to Ogden City, home of Godfrey's ticket quota."

Jones, in fact, is on vacation while he is being investigated by the department for a different matter, Ogden Police Chief Jon Greiner said Monday.

"This has nothing to do with the sign," which referred to Ogden Mayor Matthew Godfrey and the city's policy on police performance evaluations, Greiner said.

Greiner was attempting to clarify why Jones' badge, gun and police car were taken away Thursday night.

Previous media reports alleged Jones was relieved of his duties after Godfrey saw a woman, who turned out to be Jones' wife, moving a van displaying large banners that criticized the new standards.

But Greiner said the mayor called him and asked for license plate information on another vehicle, which Jones used to pick up his wife where the van was parked, because Godfrey thought it belonged to an officer.

"I don't know how he (Godfrey) knew," Greiner said. "He just said he thought it was (an officer)."

When it was determined late Thursday that Jones owned the vehicle, Greiner said he realized he had forgotten to talk to the officer about the unrelated investigation. At that point, Greiner said he told the duty lieutenant to relieve Jones of his duties rather than wait until Friday morning.

Greiner would not say what the internal investigation involves. He said a lieutenant will discuss the matter with Jones when the officer returns from vacation. Once that inquiry is completed, there may be another investigation regarding the sign, the chief said.

Godfrey could not be reached for comment Monday.

Ryan Medina, president of the Ogden Police Benefit Association, said the group believes Jones had the right to post the sign under his First Amendment rights.

"Basically, we are aware of" the sign, Medina said. "We are in support of the van and the officer."

Ogden police officers have been battling the city over performance standards for more than two years, Medina said. Recently, some officers called in sick to protest the new ticket-writing standard established by the Ogden City Council.

Utah law protects a municipal officer or employee's "support or lack of support of a political party, affiliation, opinion, committee, organization, agency, or person engaged in political activity."

Greiner, however, said another section of state law says an officer can be reprimanded or fired based on "any conduct or pattern of conduct that would tend to disrupt, diminish, or otherwise jeopardize public trust and fidelity in law enforcement."

He said a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision may affect any investigation into Jones' involvement with the sign. In a 5-4 decision, the court said public employees' free speech rights are protected when they speak out as citizens on matters of public concern — but not when they speak out in the course of their official duties.

"I'm in support of the chief. He's got to do what he's got to do," Medina said. "We're actually curious to see what happens specific to the (sign) allegations."

Jones is declining comment because of the internal investigation, Medina said.

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