An Ohio University Police officer is back on the job after being fined and suspended in November for discrepancies in his claimed overtime pay.
Lt. Richard Russell served an unpaid, three-day suspension and paid more than $550 in fines for what he owed OU after claiming overtime at two basketball games that he did not work last year, according to an internal investigation report provided by the OU Office of Legal Affairs.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was asked to investigate the case last spring, said John Biancamano, director of the office.
The highway patrol investigated possible criminal charges for the alleged theft of overtime on Nov. 23, 2009 and March 19, 2010, which were the dates of the basketball games that Russell claimed he worked, according to a highway patrol investigation report.
Athens County Assistant Prosecutor Richard Ross reviewed the highway patrol's report last summer and concluded that there was insufficient evidence to warrant a criminal prosecution, Biancamano said.
Although no criminal charges were filed in the case, the OU Police Department and the OU Human Resources Department pursued an internal investigation and disciplined Russell for violating departmental rules.
On Nov. 23, 2009, Russell claimed eight hours of overtime pay for an OU men's basketball game at the Convo, but OU Police Sgt. John Stabler said he worked in place of Russell, according to the office's report. Russell was seen in the stands at the game with his wife wearing civilian clothing.
Russell also claimed eight hours of overtime on March 19, 2010. During the investigation, he admitted that he did not work on that date because there was no game on the 19th. Instead, he said he worked overtime at a game on the 20th and accidentally documented it on the 19th. However, according to the report, Russell documented overtime on both the 19th and the 20th.
In his investigation report to the Office of Legal Affairs, OU Police Chief Andrew Powers stated that the two basketball games Russell claimed to have worked might not have been the only discrepancies in his time sheets.
Powers estimated the total loss to the department to be about $1,500 over a period of seven months, according to the report.
Because of Russell's discrepancies regarding overtime at the two basketball games cost the department more than $550, Powers stated that the remaining $1,000 was probably the result of arrival and departure discrepancies at the office.
He estimated Russell claimed 33 hours of time that he did not work.
Although Russell's actions were not proven to be intentional, Powers referred to his actions as reckless.
Russell has served his three-day suspension and is now back at work, Biancamano said. The case is closed and no further actions will be taken.
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Laura Service
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