An investigation by Massachusetts Inspector General Gregory Sullivan into allegations of double-dipping by senior Gloucester Police officers has been thwarted by the department's inadequate record keeping, according to findings.
In a letter sent to Mayor Carolyn Kirk last week, Sullivan said claims that two unnamed police officers were "working for other employers while on city time" could not be verified because the city did not provide hourly work, overtime or detail records for the officers.
"The current timekeeping system is vulnerable to fraud, waste, and abuse and does not provide an adequate audit trail for review and internal control purposes," Sullivan wrote.
"This office recommends that the city reevaluate the timekeeping practices at the Police Department and enact controls to reduce the risk of time theft," he added.
Accusations that officers were working second jobs while on the department clock percolated for much of last year.
In a phone interview yesterday, Deputy Inspector General Neil Cohen said his office began looking into the issue toward the end of 2008 and had probed the behavior of officers during 2008 and 2007.
That timeline corresponds to a flurry of anonymous claims of double-dipping surrounding controversy over the West Gloucester firing range that crested early this year in a request from city councilors for an audit of the public safety departments to address those rumors.
At the time, questions were raised about state firearms training performed by Gloucester police Sgt. William Leanos at the West Gloucester range. Leanos never publicly responded to the accusations, but then-Police Chief John Beaudette called them "baseless" and labeled the people making them anonymously as "cowards."
"The people they have singled out are a credit to the department," he added.
Police Lt. Joseph Aiello's part-time teaching role at North Shore Community College was also the subject of scrutiny.
No wrongdoing was identified by any individuals in the public safety audit, which was released this summer.
Police offers do not punch a time clock when starting or ending their shifts; the only thing that is recorded is when they don't work, when they are on leave, or out sick.
The alleged double-dipping involved senior officers with flexible schedules who were allowed to earn compensatory time, time off in lieu of pay, and were allowed to keep track of their hours themselves, Sullivan said in his letter,.
"Allowing employees to be their own timekeepers creates an internal control weakness," Sullivan said, and the fact that "comp time" is not included in city rules may make its use a violation of city policy.
Kirk this week said she had forwarded the inspector general's letter to Interim Police Chief Michael Lane, City Solicitor Suzanne Egan and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Towne. She also the issue would be placed on the list of improvements that needed to be made at the department.
Lane, who was appointed last spring, said this week he did not know the identities of the officers investigated by the state, but believed they were "supervisors."
Lane said the department was reviewing all of its timekeeping practices with its response to the audit and now keeps good track of when every officer is working.
"I don't think it is so much a record-keeping thing as an accountability thing," Lane said. "I know what they are doing."
"No one is double-dipping and never did," he said.
Patrick Anderson can be reached at 978-283-7000, x3455, or via e-mail at panderson@gloucestertimes.com.
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