ROY — Roy Police Chief Greg Whinham resigned in a letter to the city manager Wednesday, the morning after the city council met in closed session on an undisclosed personnel matter.

Whinham said in his letter he had made mistakes that were “procedural and not criminal or moral in nature.”

City Manager Chris Davis received the letter of resignation from Whinham after the council had met in closed session to discuss the character, professional competence, physical or mental health of an individual, as allowed by the Utah Open Meetings Law. Davis did not say if that person was Whinham.

Whinham’s resignation comes amid a firestorm of accusations regarding an alleged affair with another police employee. A complaint was made to the state division of Police Officers Standards and Training, but the POST declined to investigate.

The city, however, put Whinham on paid administrative leave two weeks ago and was conducting an outside investigation by Steve Garside of the Layton city attorney’s office. Davis said the results of the investigation weren’t quite completed, but that they didn’t need to be now, because of the resignation.

Whinham’s letter said his resignation came with “heavy heart” and that he had turned over all his city property to Acting Chief Mike Elliott. Davis said Elliott, who has served has a deputy chief, will continue to serve as acting chief pending a search for a new chief.

Mayor Joe Ritchie said that the issues around Whinham are no longer a concern for the city. “He is off in the sunset and no longer here,” Ritchie said. “There’s really not much to say about it right now.”

Whinham had been Roy chief since 2001 and had been with the Roy force for 29 years.

“I have made enemies along the way but always tried to be just and fair in my dealings with internal and external issues,” Whinham said in his letter. “I have made mistakes and they have become the focus of concern. I am proud that these mistakes have been procedural and not criminal or moral in nature.

“The distractions associated with the anonymous complaints from individuals unknown and others that have been identified have caused my family and others great harm.”

Whinham is a resident of Roy and was recently divorced from his wife, but his wife said the divorce has nothing to do with allegations of an affair.

Whinham could not be reached for comment Wednesday. He told Davis his only response to his resignation was the letter.

“I am proud of my record of dedicated service andcompassionate concern for each member of the department and the public,” Whinham said. “I have had the honor to work with some of themost dedicated men in law enforcement throughout the state of Utah and willalways be proud of my efforts to protect the most innocent in our community,the children.

“I have no regrets in leaving my position. …I can hold my head high and know that my efforts have not been in vain.”

“It’s a challenging situation,” Davis said of the investigation and Whinham’s resignation. “He was a dedicated chief who loved Roy City and many loved him,” Davis said.

The Roy Police Department has 40 full-time officers.