Bellevue Police Chief Mark Elbert's request to be placed on administrative leave while an investigation is conducted into allegations of misconduct has been granted.
The action came a day after The Bellevue Police Officers Association issued a statement saying they no longer have confidence in their police chief to be a leader of their department. The union alleges they have evidence Elbert acted deceptively, a charge Chief Elbert adamantly denies.
The union that represents the officers, sergeants and detectives of the Bellevue Police Department issued a statement Wednesday evening. "Chief Mark Elbert had engaged in actions the reflect a pattern of dishonest and deceptive conduct in his carrying out the duties of the Chief of Police."
The union alleged there were tape recordings of the chief telling a member of the department to "intentionally deceive other members of the department." The statement goes on to allege that recordings of others in the department confirm the chief's statements to the employee were untruthful.
Chief Elbert said in a statement late Wednesday that he's confident that any review of how he's conducted himself regarding the personnel matters would find he acted in a "responsible and wholly appropriate manner at all times."
"I categorically reject the false characterization asserted by the Union and its attorneys in the statements they have recently published," Elbert's statement read. "I would note that I am not personally a party to any disciplinary or legal proceeding whatsoever. I am aware that there are other pending proceedings involving other Bellevue Police Department employees, but since those cases concern employee personnel matters, unfortunately, I cannot comment in any detail."
Captain Dave Stuckenholtz has been designated the acting police chief.