Gumshoes of the St. Louis Police Internal Affairs Division discovered “inconsistences” in overtime reporting by four officers assigned to the city’s patrol division, and that one of the officers was in violation of the city’s residency requirement. Chief Sam Dotson stated that “the officers’ actions betrayed the community trust.” Gadzooks!
People knowledgeable of the internal workings of the city’s police department will deem laughable such statements by command personnel. Paid overtime was implemented during the mid-1970s. Police officers since that time have dipped into the department’s overtime account for unearned compensation, and that systematic theft of city funds continues to this day. Those in-the-know look behind the news reporting “smoke” and wonder: Who did the four officers piss off, and how?
Cheating on overtime is a “wink-wink, nod-nod” situation throughout the police department. If you’re favored or “connected” in some way, your overtime submissions are not challenged. But if you manage to aggravate someone in a rival police clique, that person (or persons) may have enough “steam” to cause official retaliation for your faux pas. That’s the way the department works!
Michael K. Broughton
Green Park
