FAIRHOPE, Ala. - The Alabama Ethics Commission all but closed the book today on a case against Fairhope's police chief initiated more than a year ago by the city's mayor.

Following a closed-door hearing in Montgomery this morning, the agency found in an open meeting that no probable cause existed regarding an ethics complaint filed against Chief Bill Press by Mayor Tim Kant, according to agency staff.

Had the agency found probable cause, the case would have been referred to a local district attorney or state attorney general for prosecution. The agency's finding does not prevent those prosecutors from taking up the case, but that is unlikely given similar cases in the past.

The ethics complaint involved allegations of impropriety in the use of a private bank account to handle off-duty officer employment.

Neither Press nor his attorney could be reached immediately for comment.

Updates will be provided as they become available and an article will appear in the Aug. 5 edition of The Fairhope Courier.