Audit: New Mexico police officers moonlighted on city payroll
A recent audit found that two officers who worked privately for a school while on the payroll of the Hobbs Police Department in New Mexico took home almost a week's worth of extra wages as a result of bookkeeping errors, according to the New Mexico Watchdog.
The lapse that resulted in the extra payment was attributed to extra wages hidden in 32 time cards filed between September 2008 and December 2009, and cost the city $887.
In addition to the officers who moonlight for the school district, others worked for a theater, phone service provider and various retail stores. An agreement between the department and private businesses which allows businesses to pay the city for officers' time was revised after the audit. The city will not be paid for the use of its police cars or official department badges.
"The city is providing a benefit at no compensation to [itself]," said city manager Eric Honeyfield, as quoted by the news source.
Honeyfield himself was accused of double-dipping last year when he was set to retire and then go back to work, collecting his pension, salary and other benefits, according to KRQE News. However, the Hobbs City Commission foiled his plans, and a new ban on double-dipping was imposed shortly afterwards.
The lapse that resulted in the extra payment was attributed to extra wages hidden in 32 time cards filed between September 2008 and December 2009, and cost the city $887.
In addition to the officers who moonlight for the school district, others worked for a theater, phone service provider and various retail stores. An agreement between the department and private businesses which allows businesses to pay the city for officers' time was revised after the audit. The city will not be paid for the use of its police cars or official department badges.
"The city is providing a benefit at no compensation to [itself]," said city manager Eric Honeyfield, as quoted by the news source.
Honeyfield himself was accused of double-dipping last year when he was set to retire and then go back to work, collecting his pension, salary and other benefits, according to KRQE News. However, the Hobbs City Commission foiled his plans, and a new ban on double-dipping was imposed shortly afterwards.
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