Manchester police chief placed on leave pending investigation

Jeff Bernthal and Joey Schneider

5 mins ago

Scott Will (FOX 2 archive photo)

MANCHESTER, Missouri – Manchester City Police Chief Scott Will has been placed on leave pending an ongoing, independent investigation.

According to a press release from the City of Manchester, Will was officially placed on leave on Wednesday.

The city did not provide many details about the investigation into Will. The press release states, in part, “It is the policy of the City of Manchester not to comment on details regarding personnel matters.”

The city says more information will be available once the investigation is complete. According to the press release, the investigation does not involve unauthorized use of the Regional Justice Information System, a resource used by police departments in the greater St. Louis area to combat crime.

Lt. Ed Skaggs, who has more than 40 years of experience in law enforcement, was named the city’s acting police chief.

Craig Smith, a former deputy police chief, resigned from his position with the Manchester Police Department on Tuesday, according to the city.

This story will continue to evolve and we will keep you updated as more information becomes available.