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A small Wisconsin town's chief of police, who admitted to investigators that he harassed a tea party protester by signing him up for online dating, porn and other accounts, is now under criminal investigation and suspended from his job.

Tim Keleman, chief of police in the Town of Campbell, near LaCrosse, told the investigators that he just wanted to get back at the man he said was causing much distraction and hassle for the town by suing over the town's ban on signs and banners from a pedestrian bridge where the tea party wanted to send its message.

Greg Luce, one of the tea party demonstrators who sued over the sign ban in January, began noticing solicitations and emails from places such as Match.com and went to police. Investigators traced the sign-ups, as well as comments left on the LaCrosse newspaper website about Luce, to computers at the Campbell Police Department and Keleman's home.

When the investigators met with Keleman in May, he at first denied knowing anything about such activity, then admitted he had created accounts in Luce's name to "get a little back at him." Keleman told investigators he and other officers had been getting similar unwanted emails.

Keleman said he didn't take anything from Luce, but only used his email address to create the accounts, which he hoped Luce would then have to take time to delete. He said he didn't think it was a big deal or illegal, because when Keleman had complained to the state Division of Criminal Investigations about the Internet harassment of his department, he was told only to get better spam and malware filters.

Investigators took a computer from the department and Keleman's personal computer, and have referred the case to the Monroe County district attorney.

The La Crosse Tribune reported that at a special meeting Thursday, the town board voted to put Keleman on paid leave, and that officials said he would remain on that status even if prosecutors decide not to charge Keleman, until the town completes its own investigation.

Monroe County Sheriff's Department reports indicate the agency was asked by the LaCrosse Police Department to take over the investigation of Luce's complaint in April after Keleman emerged as a suspect, because the LaCrosse and Campbell departments often work together.