COAL GROVE — A former Coal Grove police chief did not break the law making several purchases with an account he opened in his and the department’s name.

In a written correspondence to The Tribune dated Sept. 3, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Brigham Anderson said that the office has determined Jason Bloomfield did not commit a crime.

Current Police Chief Eric Spurlock filed a report with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s office dated Aug, 14 that contends that Bloomfield opened the account and made several purchases to restaurants and florists as well as cash withdrawals between Sept. 13, 2007, and Dec. 29, 2009, totaling $1,096.93. The account was used to handle fees paid by insurance companies when the department provides them with accident reports.

Bloomfield has said that the funds were used to pay for officers’ dinners during training sessions, to compensate officers who didn’t get paid but had to attend mandatory sessions and to send flowers if someone in the department lost a family member.

Spurlock, who has defended Bloomfield, said that the report was filed after expenditures were questioned during a state audit and that he was requested by the village’s counsel, Mark McCown, to turn the matter over to the prosecutor’s office to avoid a costly audit.

Anderson could not be reached for further comment Tuesday.