Sept. 30--FORT WORTH -- A longtime police officer has been fired over accusations that she used a city vehicle as her personal car and falsified time sheets, including once indicating that she had worked an eight-hour shift when she had actually been in the office for two minutes.
Detective Karen D. Holmes is appealing her termination, said her attorney, Craig Driskell with the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas.
"She's a 29-year veteran. She is the longest-serving African-American female police officer that Fort Worth had," Driskell said. "If these are their only charges, I'm shocked that they would think an indefinite suspension is the appropriate form of punishment."
Whether Holmes will face criminal charges was unknown Thursday.
"We are preparing a case to present to the district attorney's office for review and a determination if enough evidence exists to file a criminal complaint," said Maj. Paul Henderson, a police spokesman.
According to a disciplinary letter filed with the Civil Service Commission on Thursday, Holmes had been under investigation by the department's special investigations unit from mid-April to early May when she was observed coming in late to work and leaving early on five days. The letter states that although she filled out her time sheet to indicate eight hours of work, Holmes had actually worked anywhere from three hours and 15 minutes on one day to as little as two minutes on another.
"She's a detective. I would suspect that a lot of that time she's working out in the field," Driskell said. "At this point, I haven't seen their evidence and I'll be doing an open-records request for that shortly after we file the appeal letter."
The letter also states that Holmes arrived 20 minutes late to a job working park security at a city recreation center but still charged the city two hours overtime.
The letter alleges that during the investigation, Holmes used a city-owned 2007 Dodge Charger as her own vehicle, taking it home several times and using it for off-duty jobs and other personal business.
"A review of Detective Holmes' fuel usage history indicated that the amount of gas being purchased was grossly disproportionate to the other vehicles assigned to South Division C.I.U.," the letter states. "The times of fuel purchases were so unusual to the degree that it indicated a possible theft of fuel."
Holmes is the latest in a string of Fort Worth officers accused of falsifying records to receive pay not earned.
In May, a sergeant was fired over accusations that he repeatedly worked three- to four-hour days but indicated eight-hour shifts on time sheets. Another sergeant, who officials say left early only once, received a commander's admonishment. Two other sergeants avoided discipline, one by resigning and the other by voluntarily taking a demotion. All had worked in the jail.
Last year, three officers resigned and six were fired amid allegations that they falsified traffic tickets to earn extra overtime pay under the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program.
Six of those officers have been indicated on criminal charges of tampering with a government document and theft by a public servant.
Deanna Boyd, 817-390-7655
Copyright 2011 - Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas
