ATLANTIC — An Atlantic police officer has been put on paid administrative leave after being arrested on charges for misconduct in office and perjury while working for another department.
Anthony Robert Snyder, 45, was hired by the Atlantic police department in February and is among two former Lake City police officers arrested along with the Lake City Administrator.
Snyder and Aaron Lee Alspach, 46, and City Administrator Eric Clifford Wood, 57, were charged with misconduct in office and perjury. Wood also faces an additional charge of obstruction of prosecution. The former Lake City officers were accused of providing fraudulent information in order to obtain Iowa Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) certification.
Alspach was fired by the Lake City City Council in October of 2021 after repeatedly failing to attend the ILEA. Snyder left the Lake City PD after accepting a position with the Atlantic PD.
Atlantic Police Chief Devin Hogue reported that the Atlantic PD had been notified Wednesday, Sept. 21, of the charges that were filed by the Iowa Attorney General’s office, saying Snyder had been placed on paid administrative leave while the department waits for further details on the situation, and determines what actions may be taken.
The statement by Hogue said the charges were related to “an incident raising questions on Snyder’s ILEA certification process handled by another city prior to his employment with the city of Atlantic.”
“(Neither) the Atlantic Police Department nor the City of Atlantic have any further information or ability to comment further on the situation at this time,” Hogue said.
Wood was released after posting $20,000. Alspach and Snyder posted $10,000 each. All three defendants will have to appear for arraignment on Oct. 3.
Email Laura Bacon at lbacon.ant@gmail.com
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