The Utah Department of Public Safety, or DPS, announced last month that it wants to sanction BYU's police department by stripping its officers of their authority to make arrests and investigate crimes.
The private university, owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, did just that on Friday afternoon, filing a 22-page response detailing its position on why it should keep its policing powers.
BYU lawyers argue in the appeal that DPS Commissioner Jess Anderson overstepped his authority in seeking the decertification, and violated BYU's rights to due process. They also argue that the state is treating BYU's police department differently than other police agencies in Utah.