By Janice Morse
The Cincinnati Enquirer

HAMILTON - The investigation into allegations against a school resource officer who resigned this week is "criminal in nature," and the investigation is winding down, Butler County Sheriff's Maj. Anthony Dwyer said Friday.

Dennis Schiavone Jr. 29, who had been assigned to Madison Junior/Senior High School since January, resigned from the sheriff's office and from his Trenton City Council seat Wednesday, after he learned of the investigation, Dwyer said.

The allegations involve Schiavone's conduct with a girl, Dwyer said, but he declined to give specifics. He also didn't say whether the girl is a student at the school where Schiavone had been assigned.

Dwyer said the investigation is expected to be finished soon. Investigators then will confer with the county prosecutor's office about possible action, Dwyer said.

The investigation began about a week ago, Dwyer said. "A victim never came directly to us," Dwyer said, but sheriff's officials traced the source of concerns other people had raised about Schiavone. No additional concerns have come to light following Schiavone's resignation, Dwyer said.

Madison Schools Superintendent Jan Kesselring said school officials were shocked to learn about the investigation and Schiavone's resignations.

Kesselring noted that Schiavone did not report to work at the school Wednesday, then Kesselring learned about his resignations. She declined to comment further, saying, "The sheriff's office is doing the investigation; we know nothing."

Schiavone, who did not return a reporter's telephone call and gave no written explanation for his resignations, had worked for the sheriff's office since 1997.

His personnel file includes several commendations and a few reprimands, but no sign of serious prior allegations.

His 2002 performance evaluation indicated he displays "a high level of courtesy and works hard at good (public relations)."

Citizens commended his professional demeanor in dealing with the family of a young man who died in a traffic crash and also in investigating a couple of cases.

Reprimands include incidents in which sheriff's vehicles were damaged; and, in 2001, he was chastised for improperly responding to his grandmother's home in Middletown and videotaping some men who were trying to persuade her to hire them for repair work.

Sue Kiesewetter contributed to this report.

E-mail jmorse@enquirer.com