Morrison city officials released few details Tuesday about an investigation into Police Chief Bill Vinelliwho was placed on administrative leave last week.
The investigation was confirmed by City Manager Mallory Nassau, who provided a two-sentence news release.
“While the investigation takes place, the city will refrain from making any additional comment on this matter,” Morrison officials said in the news release.
Vinelli was placed on leave and Morrison’s police chief on Nov. 4. Jon Manna is the acting chief, Nassau said.
Morrison’s previous police chief, Misty Siderfin, resigned after three months on the job due to a lack of resources and officer vacancies. the Canyon Courier reported. Vinelli was hired in January 2022, Nassau said.
Vinelli came under scrutiny in October when Morrison Sgt. Richard Norton was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence and child abuse in Longmont.
Before being hired at Morrison, Norton was the subject of a internal investigation into sexual harassment at the Broomfield Police Departmentwhich showed he had allegedly sent “inappropriate and unwanted sexual messages” to female colleagues, the carrier reported.
Norton resigned while the case was still open, but an investigative report later recommended his resignation.
Vinelli told the Courier that he was aware of the Broomfield investigation but “didn’t find anything in it that would prevent me from hiring him.”
Norton was also named in a lawsuit accusing him of injuring a 15-year-old Broomfield girl with disabilities during an arrest.
Nassau did not respond when asked whether Vinelli’s suspension was related to Norton’s case, but she told the courier that this was not the case.