Overtime scandal spreads to Transit Police; three supervisors charged with lying about hours

A former Transit Police lieutenant and two former sergeants were charged today with putting in for both overtime and regular hours they didn't actually work.

Former Lt. Kenneth Berg and sergeants Michael Adamson and Jason Morris face arraignment on a charge of larceny of more than $250 by single scheme in Boston Municipal Court on July 20, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports.

Their cases come almost six months after a federal judge ruled another former lieutenant, Christopher Maynard, was fired for possible overtime abuse, in a lawsuit in which Maynard had charged he was fired for being White, and nearly three months after that judge dismissed another former lieutenant's lawsuit, after ruling he was fired for sleeping on the job - in a headquarters room he'd outfitted with a cot, a sleeping bag and a pillow - rather than for being White.

According to the DA's office:

TPD initially launched an investigation into Lt. Berg’s actions in 2015, after receiving an anonymous tip regarding his repeated absences or early departure from shifts. That investigation included a review of GPS data from Lt. Berg’s assigned cruiser, which indicated that he was absent during portions of his regular shifts on 26 separate occasions between June 23, 2014, and June 16, 2015. During that same timeframe, he was absent for part or all of 39 additional overtime shifts that he claimed to have worked. In total, he received $8,460.97 that he never earner or worked for, thus he was not entitled to.

TPD leadership learned in December 2015 that Sgt. Morris left early from a detail assignment in which he was responsible for supervising the department’s motorcycle unit during a funeral escort. The investigation included a review of security footage of TPD’s parking lot and his TPD keycard data. Between October 2, 2015, and December 24, 2015, Sgt. Morris was allegedly absent from portions of 16 regular shifts for up to seven hours per shift occasions. A shift has eight hours total. Said differently, he missed up to 87.5% of his shift and got paid as if he had worked 100% of the shift. He was absent from an additional 16 overtime shifts for as much as 7.5 hours per shift, meaning he missed up to 93.75% of those shifts and was paid as if he had worked 100% of the shift. As a result, he was paid $4,354.55 for time he never worked.

The department launched an internal investigation into Sgt. Adamson after receiving a complaint regarding a TPD cruiser parked overnight in a residential area of Winthrop. A review of GPS data from Sgt. Adamsons’ cruiser and other evidence revealed that he was absent from portions of his shifts on 15 separate occasions between October 25, 2017, and February 14, 2018. In total, he was paid $1,228.36 for hours he never worked.

All three resigned their posts to avoid formal termination, the DA's office reports.

Innocent, etc.