Police officer arrested after stalking ex-girlfriend which caused “extreme emotional distress,” authorities say

Austin Levi Christofferson sent her dozens of text messages and stopped by her home frequently, a statement on the likely cause said.

A Layton Police Department officer has been arrested on suspicion of stalking his former girlfriend who lived in the home and causing her “extreme emotional distress,” a statement on the likely cause said.

Austin Levi Christofferson, 33, was arrested Thursday after his ex-girlfriend called police to report he was in his vehicle outside their home.

The woman told a deputy with the Davis County Sheriff’s Office that Christofferson had been following her via text messages and phone calls since December 2022 and had made multiple appearances at her home “uninvited and unannounced,” the statement said.

A police officer who questioned the woman the next day checked her cell phone and found that from June 29 – when she told Christofferson their relationship was over – through July 2, she received about 68 text messages and 35 calls from Christofferson had.

One of the messages was a photo of the woman and Christofferson’s with blood on it, the probable cause statement said. The woman told the interviewer that it made her feel unsafe, as Christofferson had threatened to shoot himself if they broke up.

According to the statement, between July 2 and July 7, Christofferson texted the woman about 80 times and called her 29 times. On July 7, the woman came home to find flowers and notes from Christofferson on her porch.

Between July 9 and July 12, Christofferson sent the woman 29 messages and she replied to him, telling him to stop contacting her, the statement said.

The woman told the interviewing officer that she did not report Christofferson’s behavior because she felt “mentally and emotionally abused, based on what Christofferson wrote to her or told her personally.”

On one occasion, Christofferson came to her home at night, knocked on her front door, and looked in her windows, the statement said. The woman hid on the floor so Christofferson couldn’t see her.

The woman also told the officer that Christofferson had turned up at her home several times in his police vehicle and in his uniform, which made her feel she could not report him “due to his influence with the police,” the statement said.

On Friday, a district court judge ordered Christofferson to be held without bail based on the probable cause statement, ruling that Christofferson “would pose a significant threat to an alleged victim of domestic violence if released on bail.” according to a court order.

“The offense was committed by an active law enforcement officer who has access to weapons and knowledge of criminal procedure, which could further endanger the victim and other law enforcement officers,” the statement of probable cause said.

According to a press release from the Layton Police Department, Christofferson has been placed on administrative leave and “released from his police powers and from department-issued equipment pending the outcome of the investigation.”

Due to Christofferson’s employment with the Layton Police Department, the Davis County Sheriff’s Office is managed by the Davis County Sheriff’s Office, the press release said. Layton Police are conducting an internal investigation into the allegations.

Christofferson is currently being held in the Weber County Jail.

Editor’s note • Individuals who experience intimate partner violence or know someone who has been affected are urged to call the Utah Domestic Violence Link Line (1-800-897-LINK (5465)) or the Utah Rape and Sexual Assault Crisis Line ( 1-888) to call -421-1100.

If you or people you know are at risk of harming yourself, call or text 988 to do so Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s 24 hour support.