A Lakeland police officer was arrested July 7 on charges of falsifying time slips for off-duty assignments.
Lakeland Police said in a news release that Miguel Acevedo, 44, was charged with grand theft and scheming to defraud and immediately resigned from the department.
According to the release, an internal investigation uncovered discrepancies between Acevedo’s time slips and his location during off-duty detail assignments. A subsequent criminal investigation found that Acevedo repeatedly reported he was present at assigned details when electronic records showed otherwise, police said.
The investigation identified 54 incidents between July 7, 2022, and May 26, 2026, in which Acevedo either clocked into or out of assigned details while located outside the approved worksite, resulting in $1,046.50 in compensation being paid, according to the release.
“Our officers are entrusted with serving the community with integrity, professionalism, and accountability,” Chief Sam Taylor said in the release. “Maintaining the public’s trust requires every member of the Lakeland Police Department to meet the highest standards of conduct, both on and off duty. When an officer fails to uphold those standards, it is our responsibility to ensure they are held accountable.”
Acevedo had been on administrative leave since the start of the investigation. He was paid an annual salary of $90,451. His arrest will be subject to an administrative review.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lakeland police officer charged with falsifying time cards
Reporting by Lakeland Ledger / The Ledger
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Lakeland Ledger | USA TODAY Network
