4 More MA Troopers Suspended In Connection To Overtime Fraud Scam

BOSTON, MA — Another four State Troopers were suspended pending hearings related to discrepancies in overtime pay earned and the actual hours worked that may not be accurate, the Massachusetts State Police announced Monday, as part of the Department’s ongoing audit of overtime earnings. This brings the number of department members suspected of overtime shift fraud and whose names were referred to the United States Attorney and state Attorney General for criminal investigation to 46.

As with other members whose discretionary overtime shifts were flagged by department investigators, State Police opened Internal Affairs cases for the four members and referred information related to the alleged discrepancies to state and federal prosecutors for their review for potential prosecution.

The Department Monday suspended the four troopers temporarily and is scheduling internal hearings to determine what their duty status will be while internal and external investigations into their overtime shifts are conducted.

“Today’s actions are the result of our continued review of records and data indicative of whether Department members were present and working overtime shifts for which they were paid,” said Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police in a statement. “Our commitment to the public, and to the vast majority of Troopers who conduct themselves with integrity and dedication to duty every day, is to identify anyone who has violated their oath, and we continue to do just that.”

The audit of discretionary overtime traffic enforcement shifts is continuing amid numerous other reforms the Department is implementing, including installation of GPS systems in cruisers, audits of the 50 highest earners for each quarter, and a pilot program for body cameras expected to be in place by early next year.

The discrepancies stem from traffic enforcement overtime shifts the four were assigned to work when they were members of the former Troop E, which was once responsible for patrolling the Mass Pike has since been disbanded because of the overtime claim scandal.

Previously:

20 State Troopers Being Investigated For OT Fraud: State Police

MA State Trooper Pleads Guilty To Overtime Scam

Another Mass. State Police Trooper Charged In Overtime Pay Fraud

Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch Staff