West Chester officer resigns after investigation finds she did not report tip on missing man

Alexander Enslen, who had been missing since Jan. 31, was found dead in a pond near Fountains Blvd. in West Chester Twp. Nick Graham/STAFF

Alexander Enslen, who had been missing since Jan. 31, was found dead in a pond near Fountains Blvd. in West Chester Twp. Nick Graham/STAFF

WEST CHESTER TWP. — A West Chester Twp. police officer resigned after an internal investigation found she failed to check information on a missing man who was later found dead.

Alexander Enslen disappeared early Jan. 31 while walking on Cincinnati-Dayton Road. Police said Enslen and his roommate took an Uber to a bar and Enslen left his wallet and cellphone at home. When he left, he started walking to an apartment on Lakeside Drive.

Police searched the wooded area surrounding the bar with dogs and aircraft, but nothing was found. Enslen’s body was found March 19 in a pond at the Union Station Apartments.

An internal investigation found Officer Margaret Clem got a tip from a maintenance worker on March 11 that there could be a body in the pond.

“During this conversation, the topic of the missing person case was discussed,” the report said. “Officer Clem informed them the apartment property, including the retention pond, was searched by police utilizing sonar and dive teams and nothing was located.”

The report said Clem cleared the scene and failed to inform others in the department.

Officials said the Enslen family was made aware of Clem’s failure to make a report.

According to a report released by the coroner’s office, the preliminary cause of Enslen’s death was an accidental drowning.

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