SANDY, Utah -- The agency that certifies and disciplines police officers in Utah took action against eight officers.

But members Utah's Peace Officer Standards & Training Council appeared to have some heartburn over the level of punishment they were handing out. At its quarterly meeting on Thursday, the POST Council wrestled with a number of cases and whether the punishment fit the crime.

In one case, POST was asked to take action against a former police officer who tried to commit suicide, but was unsuccessful. He was facing a three year suspension of his badge for reckless burning. The officer's attorney, Lindsay Jarvis, told the POST Council he had tried to set himself on fire in his car but was rescued.

"My client's intent was to kill himself," she said. "At no point was there any indication he intended to harm others."

Jarvis explained the psychiatric problems the former officer faced. Some council members questioned whey they were disciplining him at all.

"Hopefully as council, we can remember the dramatic work and the dangerous work our people are doing every single day," Utah Department of Corrections executive director Rollin Cook said. "The impact it's having on our folks."

After more deliberation, the POST Council gave him a year-and-a-half suspension.

In another case, former Duschene County Sheriff's deputy Jason Sabin asked the council for leniency after he gave a jail inmate in the midst of severe alcohol withdrawals some medication. Sabin said he did not consult the jail nurse.

"I did not have any ill intentions with providing this medication," he said. "I knew and could see the inmate was suffering and needed assistance."

Beaver County Sheriff Cameron Noel sided with Sabin.

"I don't see anything that he did maliciously. He may have had some bad judgment," the sheriff said.

Pleasant View Mayor Toby Mileski agreed.

"He did this out of compassion and to save someone's life," he said.

The POST Council took Sabin's proposed four year suspension, then cut it to two years.

As the internal affairs agency for police officers in the state, POST grapples with the level of punishment. Some officers tearfully plead for mercy, pointing to the toll a mistake has had on their lives. Officers have lost jobs, marriages and other relationships. But POST has also repeatedly said police officers are held to a higher standard.

"We're held to a higher standard and we need to take that into account," said Noel. "However, we have to be careful. These are people's lives and careers and they may have made a mistake in their life."

The number of police discipline cases is increasing. So far, POST said it has 51 active investigations of misconduct under way.

"Total complaints we've received for this quarter is 75," said Lt. Alex Garcia. "Which is way up from last quarter."

In other disciplinary cases the POST Council considered: