Jay Lessley—I am not originally from Utah. I lived in the Billings, Montana area until I was 13. In 1986, my family and I moved to Mesa, Arizona where I graduated from Westwood High School, home of the Warriors. After graduating from high school, waiting and working about seven months, I came to Provo where I attended BYU for one semester before serving an LDS mission in Georgia and South Carolina. I returned from my church service in 1994 and once again attended BYU.
Within a few months of returning home, I met my wife Heather and we were married in May of 1995. The two of us continued to work and attend BYU for the next few years. Heather completed her degree before we had our daughter Samara in October of 1999. I continued to work full-time while attending BYU part-time.
In July 2000 I started my career in law enforcement as a police officer at Brigham Young University. I stayed with the BYU Police Department until June 2004 when I took a position as a deputy with the Utah County Sheriff's Office. I have served with the Sheriff's Office for the past six years, completing assignments in the Patrol Division. I am currently assigned as a negotiator, pilot, emergency vehicle operations instructor, standardized field sobriety instructor, and drug recognition expert instructor.
I completed my formal education while working at BYU, finishing my undergraduate work in psychology in April 2001 and then my graduate work in public administration in April 2004.
I came to SMART at the invitation of Lt. Perschon who believed I might find SMART’s activities helpful in my regular duties. After my first meeting last fall, I really enjoyed the different perspectives being offered and the many contributions SMART’s members were putting forth with the hopes of reducing substance abuse within Utah County. Readily apparent to me was that SMART had collected a group of dedicated people who were passionate and willing to move forward with innovative ideas to combat drug abuse. Having recognized the great cause SMART and its members represented, I wanted to become part of it and here I am.
Outside of family and law enforcement, my greatest interest is aviation. I am a certified flight instructor and teach regular at a flight school in Spanish Fork. Outside of aviation, I like spending time with my two favorite girls, completing do-it-yourself projects around our home, woodworking, and education.
I may be the only police officer in Utah County that has had the wonderful opportunity to perform with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. While completing my undergraduate work, I sang with the BYU Men’s Chorus under the direction of Mack Wilberg. During my tenure with the choir, we performed at many venues but the most memorable for me were the two times we sang with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for Music and the Spoken Word at Temple Square.
I am grateful for the opportunity to serve with other members of SMART. This is a truly remarkable group of people who bring with them their desire to make a significant difference in our community. Society little recognizes, I believe, the massive impact substance abuse has on our community and country. As such, I am pleased to offer my limited talents and commitment to help Utah County in reducing substance abuse in any way possible.
3 comments:
In July of last year, you (Jay) stopped me at a DUI check point and charged me (a California driver) with a DUI and with driving a vehicle with an expired registration. At the time I told you I had not been drinking or using marijuana and I presented you with with proof of current registration. Current tags were on the car but you charged me anyway. The case was dismissed when blood and urine tests were negative and my current registration was verified. After contacing every agency I could, I could not get a refund on the automobile impound fee. ($290.00) I am retired and on a small fixed income so $290.00 is a lot of money to me. I read your profile and I see that you are very dedicated to drug abuse prevention and very dedicated to your religion (with it's very high standrds). That is admirable and though my standards will never be as high as yours, I care enough about my fellow man that I would never put anyone at risk by driving under the influence. I would hope that for other poeple's sake in the future you might reflect that being a little over-zealous in the very legitimate crusade against drug abuse can cost innocent people a lot of heart-ache and money.
I am the sister of Anonymous. I need to tell you that my brother was extremely traumatized by this incident, as was our entire family. Two weeks earlier, he had moved to Utah from California to live with and help my sister who was handicapped. A happy drive through the canyon turned into a nightmare for all of us. First, you pulled him over claiming his registration was outdated, however it was not and his car had the appropriate tags, (At the station, the officer looked up his registration and confirmed it was current.) We could only wonder if you pulled him over because he had California license plates and was smoking a cigarette. Perhaps you formed an early prejudice. My brother takes blood pressure medications which affect his balance and failed to walk well. He asked for a breathalizer test, which you denied him because you stated you believed he was using marijuana, not drunk. Legally you were required to allow him that test. He was next handcuffed and his car was impounded. Blood tests proved that he was innocent, but he lost $290.00 on impound fees from your false arrest. Further, he was unable to drive for a long time until his charges were dismissed by a judge.It hurt pretty bad to be treated like a criminal. Your blog shows two things--your devotion to your (our) religion and the fact that you were raised in Happy Valley. Do you have prejudices about people who smoke? Do you have prejudices about Californians being substance abusers? Only you can search your heart and determine if your religion colors how you perform your duties.
My brother commented during his ordeal that he was completely in favor of the type of roadblock you were running at the time and in favor of DUI efforts, We all feel bad that you claimed you pulled him over for lapsed registration when his tags were current and his registration showed that it had been renewed the previous month.
My son also sang with the BYU Men's chorus. Wasn't Mack Wilberg just amazing!!!! Still is!
Jay, you will be missed and I wish you were still here. You flew off to heaven too soon for the rest of us that are left behind. You are a kind soul with a great sense of humor and I regret not getting to spend more time with you. Love from all of your family here in California <3
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