Morrison police chief Bill Vinelli on leave amid investigation

Morrison town officials on Tuesday released few details about an investigation into Police Chief Bill Vinelli, who was placed on administrative leave last week.

The investigation was confirmed by Town Manager Mallory Nassau, who provided a two-sentence news release.

“While the investigation takes place, the town will refrain from any additional comment on this matter,” Morrison officials said in the release.

Vinelli was placed on leave on Nov. 4 and Morrison Police Department Cmdr. Jon Manna is the acting chief, Nassau said.

Morrison’s previous police chief, Misty Siderfin, resigned after three months on the job because of 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 he was hired in Morrison, Norton was the subject of an internal sexual harassment investigation at the Broomfield Police Department, which found he allegedly sent “inappropriate and unwanted sexual messages” to female coworkers, the Courier reported.

Norton resigned while the case was still open, but an investigation report later recommended his termination.

Vinelli told the Courier he was aware of the Broomfield investigation but “didn’t find anything in it that would preclude me from hiring him.”

Norton was also named in a lawsuit that accused him of injuring a 15-year-old Broomfield girl with disabilities during an arrest.

Nassau did not respond to a question on whether Vinelli’s suspension was connected to Norton’s case, but she told the Courier it was not.