State Patrol lieutenant investigated for potential time and attendance fraud

A Washington State Patrol lieutenant whose employee attendance compensation earnings were unusually high has been placed on administrative reassignment pending the results of a criminal investigation, according to the Seattle Times.

William Gardiner took home approximately $163,000 in time and attendance pay last year - the highest earnings of all State Patrol employees, even besting patrol chief John Baptiste by more than $20,000.

Patrol spokesman Robert Calkins told the news source that investigators are looking into the possibility that Gardiner was compensated for hours he did not actually work. According to the Washington State Patrol Lieutenants Association, Gardiner's work in the Aurora Corridor Traffic Emphasis command center would not be reflected in his time records, but all overtime he put in for was approved and within regulations.

Potential timesheet fraud was also an issue within the El Paso, Texas, police department recently, according to the El Paso Times. The city's mayor recently confirmed that an audit identified overtime discrepancies charged to Texas Department of Transportation grants by five employees.