Florence deputy chief alleges he was ‘frozen out’ of agency amid resignation

FLORENCE, Colo. (KRDO) -- The city of Florence's Deputy Police Chief turned in his badge at the city council meeting Monday night, in response to how he says the department is being managed.

Bill Vinelli resigned to become the police chief in Morrison. Vinelli tells 13 Investigates he didn't want to leave but felt like it's what he had to do with the way the agency is being run.

Vinelli first handed his resignation letter to the city council about a week and a half ago. A few days later he gave the resignation letter to Florence Police Chief Shane Prickett. The resignation was set to become effective Wednesday.

Vinelli alleges he was frozen out of the police department after raising concerns about police officer pay, human resource, and security issues in a public meeting a week and a half ago.

"I had a really really good time here. Except for the last couple weeks, maybe a month, I don't regret doing any of this," Vinelli told 13 Investigates.

Vinelli was hired at Florence PD in 2014 and rose up the ranks, becoming the agency's second in command.

The now-former deputy chief received an email from Prickett on Saturday morning telling him to turn in his patrol vehicle, saying his law enforcement services were no longer needed and to come through the front door of the department and to not wear his uniform.

"I was pissed, like very irritated, and I didn't respond to it. I didn't know what he was thinking," Vinelli said.

Chief Shane Prickett declined an interview with 13 Investigates but said that Vinelli was not frozen out but instead provided common exit instructions when someone is leaving the department.

"Vinelli handed every member of the council his resignation on January 27.  With that being done, I had to make arrangements to run this department for the officers and the citizens of Florence without him," Prickett said in an email.

Prickett said he gave Vinelli time to clear out his personal belongings on city time and not Vinelli's personal time. The police chief said the locks are being changed right now as part of a months-long plan and new keys have been issued. Prickett said it would have been "silly" to issue Vinelli a new key for his last two days.

"I did not want him to perform any more police duties, as he would obviously not be available in the future to appear in court," Prickett said.

In his public comment at the council meeting Vinelli called a statement Prickett made to 13 Investigates last Friday "victim shaming."

In response to two federal lawsuits accusing the police chief of having knowledge of former city manager Mike Patterson's alleged sexual harassment for years, Prickett said the allegations against him were false and that one of the women who filed a lawsuit was "eliminated" as being named a victim after a thorough investigation by Florence detectives.

"That's law enforcement 101, you never tell somebody they're not a victim. I don't know why that was said. I didn't ask. Again, the next day I was locked out of everything. I can't answer why it was said. I just know it was said and it's never going to be able to be taken back," Vinelli told 13 Investigates.

"My statement on KRDO News absolutely had nothing to do with victim shaming.  I stated the fact that after the evidence was collected during the lengthy investigation, she was not listed as a victim in the criminal investigation.  I never said she was not a victim," Prickett said.