IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa employee responsible for issuing private security guard licenses was fired Tuesday for ethical and other rule violations, and a related criminal investigation is under way. A termination letter obtained by The Associated Press shows the Iowa Department of Public Safety fired clerk Joseph Sheehan Jr. after a nearly three-month paid leave. The department tells AP it opened a criminal investigation in August “after a routine review raised concerns related to the issuance of security guard identification cards.” That investigation is still ongoing.

Sheehan’s termination letter says an internal investigation found he violated five department policies, including those governing employee ethics, requiring timely and accurate official reports, barring incompetent performance and requiring employees to follow orders. The letter didn’t elaborate on Sheehan’s wrongdoing but said that his actions were unacceptable and his employment “has been counterproductive to the best interests of the Department.”