FARMINGTON — City Manager Rob Mayes restricted Police Chief Jim Runnels to administrative duty only Monday following allegations Runnels participated in a SWAT event Sunday evening with the odor of alcohol on his breath, officials said.

Mayes restricted Runnels about 3 p.m. Monday after learning of the allegations around noon, Mayes said during a phone interview Wednesday.

"As you can tell, while I'm of course concerned with the content of the allegations, I'm very pleased the (allegation) was reported up through the chain of command with what they suspected," Mayes said.

Mayes in an e-mail distributed Wednesday said "the report specifically stated no intoxicated impairment was suspected. However, consuming alcohol prior to answering an after-hours call-out would be a violation of policy."

Restricting Runnels' duties is a "routine response" while the city manager conducts an investigation to determine the credibility of the allegations, Mayes said.

"It doesn't mean he's guilty," Mayes said.

Details about the incident are limited but the initial investigation suggests Runnels, while on duty, showed up at the police mobile command unit with alcohol on his breath, City Councilor Jason Sandel said.

No action was taken at the scene, but the incident was reported later to senior city officials. It remains unknown what, if any, Runnels' blood-alcohol level was.

Sandel, in contrast to Mayes statement, expressed his concern about the way the incident was

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handled.

"I'm concerned about a culture that would allow for any person to have a level of intoxication at work and for the job not to be stopped," Sandel said. "I certainly understand we were in the middle of a SWAT circumstance, as it was reported to me, but at the same time once that issue is raised, we need to address the issue immediately. Again, it gets back to a broken culture."

Mayes interviewed several "key people" and a number of other people are writing statements throughout the next several days as part of the investigation, he said.

He expects the investigation to be wrapped up by the end of next week at which point he will determine further, if any, action against Runnels.

Meanwhile, Capt. Dan Caulkins is in charge of the department while Deputy Chief Kyle Westall remains on vacation for the holiday, Mayes said.

A call to Runnels went unreturned prior to The Daily Times' early holiday deadlines Wednesday.

Elizabeth Piazza: epiazza@daily-times.com