The Caseyville Village Board voted unanimously, 4-0, Monday to place Police Chief Jose Alvarez on indefinite, paid administrative leave pending the outcome of two misdemeanor charges filed against him on April 24. (See previous story)

Caseyville Police Chief Jose Alvarez addresses the Village Board on March 19, 2014 / Photo by Roger Starkey

Board members Ron Tamburello and Rick Casey Jr. were absent from the special meeting, which was posted on the Village’s website on April 24 at 1:13 p.m., within minutes of Alvarez’s attorney, Bob Jones, receiving notification that chargers were pending against his client.

Village Attorney John Gilbert said Monday that Caseyville Police Sergeant Frank Moore, who is currently away from the department on sick leave, made the initial call to the Illinois State Police to inquire about pressing charges against Alvarez. On April 25, Moore said that he and Black had contacted the State Police to press charges.

Black stated on April 24, and again Monday, that he did not know how the investigation started.

“If I did initiate it, I don’t recall,” Black said Monday after the Board meeting.

After Gilbert explained to Black that Moore had contacted the Illinois State Police, who then went to Village Hall to take statements from Moore and Black, the Mayor understood that he did take part in initiating the investigation.

Conditions of the administrative leave include that Alvarez is not allowed in the police station without the permission of the Board of Trustees and he must return all village property. No timeframe was set for when the property must be returned.

Sergeant Scott Miller, a 20-year veteran of the Caseyville Police Department, was named interim chief. Miller said his priorities are to get the moral of the police officers back “on track” and to get the department back to full staff.

The department has been short-handed since probationary officer Steve Romanik was terminated on April 1. Miller said he is unsure how many officers the department will hire, that is the Board’s decision.

Special Prosecutor David Rands, working out of O’Fallon, filed two misdemeanor charges against Alvarez Thursday. A disorderly conduct charge was filed claiming Alvarez “knowingly acted in such unreasonable manner as to alarm or disturb another and to provoke a breach of the peace during the course of a meeting of the Caseyville Village Board…The defendant shouted, made threatening gestures, and stalked about the room.”

A battery charge was also filed, in which Special Prosecutor David Rands alleges “Alvarez made physical contact of an insulting and provoking nature with Frank Moore, striking Moore in the chest with his chest” during the same Feb. 19 meeting.