Edgewater police chief allowed back at work during FDLE investigation

EDGEWATER, Fla. — Edgewater's embattled police chief is preparing to go back to work Tuesday even though he's still being investigated by the Florida Department for Law Enforcement for allegedly threatening his officers.

The city manager didn’t want Chief Dave Arcieri to influence interviews conducted by FDLE, but now that the interviews are over, he is allowing the chief to come back.

Arcieri had been on suspension for five weeks.

Members of Arcieri’s department are accusing the chief of threatening officers and changing reports.

The allegations against Arcieri came from Chad Anderson, a former police officer.

The city manager sent a letter to FDLE that said Anderson said he helped Acieri complete course work at Daytona State College in 2011.  But Anderson claimed he didn't admit it earlier because Arcieri  threatened to fire him.

Anderson resigned on Friday.

The city manager said the chief was on leave to maintain the integrity of the FDLE investigation as it conducted interviews. When the interviews wrapped up, he allowed the chief to return.

Anderson said he is not ready to do an on camera, but in an email, he wrote, “At no time did I make a statement which was false in nature to the city of Edgewater or any other entity. I furnished proof of my statements to the city of Edgewater city manager, to (FDLE) and to the (FBI)."

FDLE would not comment about the investigation, but did say that it is open and active.

WFTV