Top Cop Dave Arcieri suspended with pay on undisclosed allegations
Headline Surfer/NSB News LLC copyright photos by Henry Frederick / Edgewater Police Chief Dave Arcieri, shown here in uniform in these exclusive copyrighted NSB News LLC images, has been suspended with pay on undisclosed allegations. EDGEWATER -- In the wake of City Manager Tracey Barlow's hand-delivered suspension with pay of Police Chief Dave Arcieri two days ago, he's now turned to a retired Delray Beach police chief to take over the operations of the Edgewater police force for the time being.
Barlow has turned to Richard Overman to serve as the "acting administrator" of the Edgewater police department while an investigation continues for Arcieri, one day after removing Arcieri from his position with pay and temporarily supervising the department himself. The elected officials were notified by Barlow Friday of his intention to bring Overman on board to oversee the 29-officer department.
Overman was selected from a list of available retired law enforcement administrators provided by the Florida Police Chief's Association. No timetable was given on when he would start. In the interim, Barlow, himself, is overseeing the police department.
In a related development Friday, Barlow asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to consider investigating the undisclosed allegations against Arcieri, who was promoted to police chief in mid-2011. Arcieri has nearly 20 years of law enforcement experience, all with the Edgewater PD.
Arcieri could not be reached for comment by Headline Surfer.
Saying it's for the sake of "the integrity of the investigation," Barlow has declined to outline the allegations against Arcieri.
Saying it's for the sake of "the integrity of the investigation," Barlow has declined to outline the allegations against Arcieri. -- Photo of Tracey Barlow by Headline Surfer.
Barlow delivered a letter of suspension early Thursday morning.
In It, Barlow informed Arcieri that "effective immediately," he was being "placed on administrative leave with pay until further notice."
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Edgewater Police Chief Dave Arcieri was informed of his paid suspension in a hand delivered memo, a copy of which is shown here, in his office by City Manager Tracey Barlow. The memo does not provide any showing of allegations of wrongdoing or any other reason for the suspension.
Because he's being paid during the suspension, Arcieri also was told in the letter that he must make himself available to the city manager as he would if working, Barlow said in the memo.
Barlow made it clear in the letter that Arcieri is "not to visit any Police Department facilities nor contact any present or previous Police Department employees unless you have written permission from me."
If Arcieri needs anything from his police chief's office that is his personal property, he must contact the city manager first, the memo stated.
Barlow concluded the memo by stating, "Operational decisions of the Police Department will be assigned to the City Manger until further notice."
The memo, dated Jan. 3, does not stating any allegations of wrongdoing nor any other reason for the immediate action taken against Arcieri by the city manager.
A previous allegation of copying course worse work at Daytona State College against Arcieri a year ago was unfounded by the State Attorney's Office.
While Barlow has not provided a single detail on the reason for Arcieri's suspension, Edgewater Councilman Mike Ignasiak, also a former police chief here for five years until 2006, told the Daytona Beach News-Journal, the allegations may have something to do with a police record being modified.
Ignasiak had no specific information to back up the claim in the story published by the newspaper today, except to say he had "very sketchy information, as it should be."
And Mayor Michael Thomas told several media outlets that just because Arcieri has been placed on administrative leave doesn't mean the allegations are true. Thomas, too, said, he didn't have enough information to comment further.