Smithfield City Council member resigns after confronting police, threatening to ‘defund’ them

SMITHFIELD, Utah (ABC4) — A Smithfield City Council member resigned earlier this week after a public incident in which he confronted the police.

On September 20, 2025, the Smithfield City Council announced that Ted Stokes resigned from his position as a city council member effective immediately. This came from an incident in which he confronted law enforcement officers.

Two Smithfield officers responded to Stokes’ residence on August 3, 2025, after his son was involved in a car accident. While both Stokes and the other driver had exchanged insurance information, the monetary damage was above $1500. Under Utah laws, accidents above $1500 must be reported to the police.

In the body cam footage, Stokes asks the officers why two officers had to respond to “such a simple thing” and told one officer to leave. One officer went into his patrol car, while another began to speak to Stokes.

While speaking to Stokes, he also told the officers, “We pay a lot of money for you guys in the city, and I decide whether the budget is good or not.”

“I’m telling you how you’re supposed to do your job, because you obviously don’t know,” Stokes added. He went on to ask who trained the involved officers. “We are botching so many things in the city because of you guys.”

As the officer took photos of the damaged vehicle, Stokes took a phone call. On the bodycam footage, he can be heard complaining about the behavior of the officers.

“I promise I will do everything in my power as a city council member to make sure these guys are defunded,” Stokes can be heard saying

Yesterday, Smithfield City released a statement on Ted Stokes’s resignation.

“Within our city, we’ve recently seen a very public incident which has possibly shaken the faith of some in our leadership,” the statement read in part.

Smithfield City also asked “that grace and forgiveness be given to our former council member who has resigned his seat on the city council. As your elected representatives, we acknowledge that we must speak, and represent ourselves, in a positive manner due to the position we were elected to hold.”

At this time, the Smithfield City Council has not said when it will begin the process to fill Stokes’ council seat.

The full statement from the city can be read below.

Dear Smithfield City Residents,

For nearly 250 years our nation has been built by the actions and work of its citizens. Some of the finest people of their time have led forward through periods of adversity to help further what is known as the “American Experiment”. While many of these leaders were giants of their time no one single person has been perfect in all things which remains true to this day. Within our city we’ve recently seen a very public incident which has possibly shaken the faith of some in our leadership. We ask that grace and forgiveness be given to our former council member that has resigned his seat on the city council. As your elected representatives we acknowledge we must speak, and represent ourselves, in a positive manner due to the position we were elected to hold.

As a mayor and city council we emphatically state that we wholly and completely support law enforcement in upholding the laws and ordinances of our city, state and nation. We honor and appreciate the service they render and we apologize that recent events have called this into question. Recently, not far from our city, two officers lost their lives as they responded to the call of duty. In their final actions they displayed the pure devotion, dedication and honor law enforcement officers have to their county. We honor all in law enforcement and appreciate what they, and their families, give in their service.

As your elected officials we have taken an oath of office upon ourselves to “support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Utah… [and to] discharge the duties of [our] office with fidelity”. We resubmit ourselves to this higher oath and ask for your trust in fulfilling our oath as we serve.

– Mayor Kris Monson, Council Members: Todd Orme, Jane Staker, Sue Hyer and Wade Campbell