An Auburn police officer has been terminated from the department after an investigation found he had a relationship with a high school student, who is a minor, Auburn Police said Thursday.

According to police, an investigation was launched on March 1 into allegations that 32-year-old William Morrissey III, of the town of Throop, was engaging in an improper relationship with a student at Auburn High School.

Morrissey, a member of the Auburn Police since 2016, had been assigned as a school resource officer in the district.

Police said the department removed Morrissey from the school after the allegation and subsequently suspended him. He was charged on March 4 with sexual abuse in the first degree, official misconduct and endangering the welfare of a child, according to the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office.

The probe found "overwhelming evidence" that Morrissey was pursuing and engaging in a relationship with the student, according to police.

Morrissey's termination from the force was made effective at noon Thursday.

"Morrissey’s actions are in direct conflict with everything we expect from an officer with the Auburn Police Department," police said in a press release. "The Auburn Police Department members and administration will strive forward with our dedicated and ethical personnel to overcome the actions of one officer to continue the excellent service our community expects."