This guy was apparently also responsible for keeping the records.

The investigation leading to Neal’s arrest began after SPD’s finance department in July 2024 discovered a number of accounts where vendors appeared not to have reimbursed the department. Neal, who also served as off-duty detail coordinator, was asked to turn over invoices from those accounts, but many — in particular those from Lofts at Eden paying Neal for off-duty work — remained unresolved by the time the police administration was made aware of the issue in August of this year.

79 times and he's only 23 years old. That guy is set to be a highly reguarded politician.

E: 23 year old "veteran", 49 years old.

They're not admissible in court (because they're bullshit), and are basically just a prop the police use to coerce confessions - so I'm doubtful that this would be cause for appeal

Usually yes, but he made the mistake of stealing from them

This was about him moonlighting as private security. He ripped off the people at the Lofts at Eden apartments, not the taxpayers.

Edit: actually, I'm only kinda half-right. It's supposed to be the private entity on the hook for the cost, but apparently the money flows though the department anyway instead of the officer being directly employed by the private entity.

Part of this guy's fraud (and I guess, how he hoped not to get caught, but which backfired) was that he wasn't actually charging the client.

Typically, when Sanford officers are hired to provide security or perform other duties in their off-hours, the department pays the officers for that work and then seeks reimbursement from the hiring party.

The investigation leading to Neal’s arrest began after SPD’s finance department in July 2024 discovered a number of accounts where vendors appeared not to have reimbursed the department. Neal, who also served as off-duty detail coordinator, was asked to turn over invoices from those accounts, but many — in particular those from Lofts at Eden paying Neal for off-duty work — remained unresolved by the time the police administration was made aware of the issue in August of this year.

If $12K is all he managed over 79 instances, probably not nearly as much as you seem to be implying. He probably stuck to small-time stuff in hopes that if he was ever caught they'd rather hide it than embarrass themselves (as has historically been typically the case). Seems he bet wrong on that. Maybe things actually are improving, albeit in the most minimal of ways

Yes it's a problem. Is it a nothing story compared to other problems? YES!