Morrison Police Chief Bill Vinelli Placed on Administrative Leave Amid Investigation
On Tuesday, Morrison town officials announced that Police Chief Bill Vinelli has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation. The town manager, Mallory Nassau, confirmed the investigation but provided limited details in a brief news release.
While Vinelli is on leave, Commander Jon Manna will serve as the acting chief of the Morrison Police Department. Vinelli assumed the role of police chief in January 2022, following the resignation of the previous chief, Misty Siderfin, after just three months in the position due to resource constraints and officer vacancies.
The scrutiny on Vinelli intensified in October when one of his officers, Sgt. Richard Norton, was arrested on charges of domestic violence and child abuse in Longmont. Norton had previously been under investigation for sexual harassment at the Broomfield Police Department, where he allegedly sent inappropriate messages to female coworkers.
Despite Norton’s troubled history, Vinelli defended his decision to hire him, stating that he did not find any red flags in the Broomfield investigation that would have deterred him from bringing Norton onto the Morrison force. Norton later resigned while facing the internal investigation, which ultimately recommended his termination.
In addition to the internal issues surrounding Norton, he was also implicated in a lawsuit involving the injury of a 15-year-old girl with disabilities during an arrest.
While the town has not disclosed the specific reasons for Vinelli’s suspension, they have stated that it is not directly linked to Norton’s case. The investigation is ongoing, and Morrison officials have refrained from commenting further until it is concluded.
