S. Ill. police chief on leave amid investigation

CASEYVILLE, Ill. (AP) — The police chief in the southern Illinois village of Caseyville has been placed on paid administrative leave because of a grand jury investigation into his use of a truck seized as part of a drug case.

The Belleville News Democrat reported Monday that (http://tinyurl.com/alf3frc ) Police Chief J.D. Roth did not sell the pickup truck at auction, as directed by state law. Village records show that Roth instead drove the 2003 Dodge Ram 65,000 miles for personal use and charged the village more than $6,000 for maintenance.

Roth was placed on leave Monday by Mayor George Chance after St. Clair County State's Attorney Brendan Kelly asked that Roth not be involved in police investigations or have access to evidence or village computers.

Roth says he can't comment without the village's permission.

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Information from: Belleville News-Democrat, http://www.bnd.com