DETROIT – An internal investigation is sending shock waves through the Detroit Police Department Friday night. A well-known sergeant at DPD has been suspended over possible bogus overtime claims.
Sources told Local 4 that an audit of the DPD 5th Precinct discovered a problem that led up to Chief James Craig's office at Department of Public Safety headquarters.
The veteran police sergeant from the 5th Precinct was so well-regarded that he was moved to a key neighborhood policing position inside headquarters.
His desk is right outside the chief's office.
But now, the sergeant has been suspended with pay pending an overtime fraud investigation. Sources said the alleged discovery is disappointing. The sergeant is said to be good at what he does, but what's unclear is how many overtime hours have been paid out to the sergeant by the city and never worked by the sergeant.
Craig said in the past he has a zero-tolerance policy for overtime fraud. Criminal charges have resulted in past cases against officers who said they were working overtime, but weren't.
Sources said the investigation could spread. There's one other high-ranking officer, a lieutenant, who is under the same investigation for overtime fraud. That lieutenant is still on the job and the investigation is just getting underway.
From Oct. 18: 6 DPD officers suspended amid FBI probe into abandoned car-towing scheme
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