A “personnel assessment” of recently maligned Lt. Marlon Byrd determined that the Ithaca Police officer is “fit to continue in his responsibilities” pending further investigation, Mayor Svante Myrick ’09 announced Wednesday. Byrd was placed on administrative leave for one day last week but has since returned to work.

Several witnesses testified under oath in 2010 and 2011 that Byrd, a veteran of the force for 20 years, gave local narcotics dealers information about pending drug investigations — including the times and locations of drug raids — and held substances for them. Police reviewed the same claims and cleared Byrd of any wrongdoing in 2008, but testimony from Officer Bob Brotherton in July suggested high-ranking IPD officers began working around Byrd for fear he would tip off drug dealers, according to documents first obtained by The Ithaca Journal.

Myrick emphasized that Byrd’s review was conducted by the city “out of an abundance of caution.” Myrick also said that Byrd was not barred from entering the police building. 

“In the past few days, there has been a lot of confusion regarding [Byrd’s] status at IPD,” Myrick said. There is currently an investigation of an “internal IPD personnel matter” distinct from the “drug-related allegations” being investigated by the District Attorney, Myrick said.