Detroit Fire Lieutenant's Paycheck Scandal: Corruption and Lack of Oversight
A shocking scandal has emerged in the Detroit fire department, where a senior lieutenant has been found to have padded his paycheck by submitting false time sheets for hours he never worked. Lt. James Hill-Harris, an arson investigator, allegedly overstated his hours worked by more than 150 hours, with discrepancies dating back as far as 2018.
According to an investigation by the Office of Inspector General (OIG), Hill-Harris relied on time sheets that didn't match key-card activity, cellphone data, or daily activity logs at Detroit Public Safety Headquarters. In some instances, investigators found he was at home or even outside Detroit during hours he claimed to be on duty.
Two supervisors, Chief Dennis Richardson and Captain Rance Dixon, have been criticized for failing to perform basic oversight that should have caught the fraud. The OIG wrote that both men abused their authority by neglecting their supervisory responsibilities, which contributed to a lack of accountability for Hill-Harris's overtime.
The investigation also revealed that multiple investigators described "longstanding attendance issues" that had gone unaddressed by unit supervisors, with some suggesting a personal friendship between Richardson and Hill-Harris may have contributed to the lack of oversight. Richardson disputed showing favoritism but acknowledged doing some digging into noncompliance within the unit.
As a result of the allegations, the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) permanently revoked Hill-Harris's law-enforcement certification for "egregious misconduct involving his lack of accountability." However, the fire department initially fired him, but later reversed the decision after receiving additional evidence on his behalf. Hill-Harris was demoted two ranks and is now back to fighting fires.
The Detroit Fire Commissioner, Chuck Simms, has taken steps to prevent overtime fraud, including hiring a full-time civilian payroll manager, requiring prior approval for overtime, conducting biweekly audits, and mandating that employees physically clock in and out. As a result, the fire department's overtime payments have decreased significantly over the past year.
The OIG praised the work of the Detroit police department, which conducted a thorough investigation that greatly supported their findings. Their partnership was instrumental in helping to identify time fraud and protect integrity in city operations.
This scandal highlights the importance of effective oversight and accountability within government agencies. The lack of supervision by Richardson and Dixon allowed Hill-Harris's fraudulent behavior to go undetected for years, resulting in significant financial losses to the city. It also underscores the need for robust internal controls and auditing mechanisms to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The case serves as a reminder that corruption can occur at all levels of government, even among those who are entrusted with public service. As such, it is crucial that agencies like the OIG continue to investigate and expose such cases to ensure accountability and transparency within our institutions.
A shocking scandal has emerged in the Detroit fire department, where a senior lieutenant has been found to have padded his paycheck by submitting false time sheets for hours he never worked. Lt. James Hill-Harris, an arson investigator, allegedly overstated his hours worked by more than 150 hours, with discrepancies dating back as far as 2018.
According to an investigation by the Office of Inspector General (OIG), Hill-Harris relied on time sheets that didn't match key-card activity, cellphone data, or daily activity logs at Detroit Public Safety Headquarters. In some instances, investigators found he was at home or even outside Detroit during hours he claimed to be on duty.
Two supervisors, Chief Dennis Richardson and Captain Rance Dixon, have been criticized for failing to perform basic oversight that should have caught the fraud. The OIG wrote that both men abused their authority by neglecting their supervisory responsibilities, which contributed to a lack of accountability for Hill-Harris's overtime.
The investigation also revealed that multiple investigators described "longstanding attendance issues" that had gone unaddressed by unit supervisors, with some suggesting a personal friendship between Richardson and Hill-Harris may have contributed to the lack of oversight. Richardson disputed showing favoritism but acknowledged doing some digging into noncompliance within the unit.
As a result of the allegations, the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) permanently revoked Hill-Harris's law-enforcement certification for "egregious misconduct involving his lack of accountability." However, the fire department initially fired him, but later reversed the decision after receiving additional evidence on his behalf. Hill-Harris was demoted two ranks and is now back to fighting fires.
The Detroit Fire Commissioner, Chuck Simms, has taken steps to prevent overtime fraud, including hiring a full-time civilian payroll manager, requiring prior approval for overtime, conducting biweekly audits, and mandating that employees physically clock in and out. As a result, the fire department's overtime payments have decreased significantly over the past year.
The OIG praised the work of the Detroit police department, which conducted a thorough investigation that greatly supported their findings. Their partnership was instrumental in helping to identify time fraud and protect integrity in city operations.
This scandal highlights the importance of effective oversight and accountability within government agencies. The lack of supervision by Richardson and Dixon allowed Hill-Harris's fraudulent behavior to go undetected for years, resulting in significant financial losses to the city. It also underscores the need for robust internal controls and auditing mechanisms to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The case serves as a reminder that corruption can occur at all levels of government, even among those who are entrusted with public service. As such, it is crucial that agencies like the OIG continue to investigate and expose such cases to ensure accountability and transparency within our institutions.
detroit fire lieutenant's paycheck scandal is wild! so apparently this lt james hill-harris just made up hours he didn't even work and got away with it for years lol what really gets me is that 2 of his supervisors were supposed to be keeping an eye on him but they were too busy being buddies 
meanwhile the city ends up losing money left & right. anyhoo detroit's trying to prevent this kinda thing from happening again by adding more oversight and stuff like a civilian payroll manager 
hope it works lol
. Two supervisors just letting their friend do whatever he wants without even checking the timesheets? That's just lazy oversight. And what really gets me is they initially fired him but later reversed it because of more evidence coming in... it's like, if they're gonna fire someone for something that bad, shouldn't it be stick-to-it? 
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. And now we know there were even supervisors who knew better but turned a blind eye. This whole thing reeks of systemic failure and corruption 
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. The fact that he admitted to doing some research but didn't address the issue is just as bad.
. And to think the supervisors knew about it but didn't do anything because of some personal friendship 
. It's all about accountability and oversight, folks! If you're in charge, you gotta be watching over your team, not just turning a blind eye 
. It's about time they got their act together. And I'm glad the OIG was able to shine a light on this whole mess 
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. We need more transparency and accountability in our institutions, not less 
. It's time for us all to demand better from those in power 
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. Still though, we gotta do better as a whole.
but seriously, how do you even get away with something like that for so long without anyone questioning it? i think the main issue here is that there was a lack of oversight and supervision from Richardson and Dixon. they were supposed to be keeping an eye on Hill-Harris, but instead, they just looked the other way or maybe even covered up for him 
... have you ever tried to find a good spot to soak up some sun without breaking the bank? I mean, it's not like I haven't looked into it, but somehow every Airbnb deal seems to come with a hefty resort fee that just adds up. And don't even get me started on how many "deals" are actually just tiny rooms in a crowded hostel... anyway, that reminds me, have you tried any new travel apps lately?
I just don't get why this guy thought he could get away with it for so long! Like 150 hours of extra pay? That's insane! 
I mean, I get that we all make mistakes, but this is just plain lazy.
Fingers crossed that they do some more investigating and fix whatever broken system led to this to start with. 
Detroit's fire department was literally getting robbed blind by a corrupt lieutenant who had zero accountability from his supervisors... what a joke! 
And now they're trying to spin it as a "lesson learned" just by hiring some extra personnel and tightening up their process? Please, I've seen that same old routine play out time and time again in other agencies. It's all about finding the right balance between oversight and giving people the autonomy to do their jobs... not about just slapping on some new policies and expecting everything to magically fix itself 
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. The OIG doing its job and exposing corruption is also a major win 
I mean who pads their paycheck and thinks they can get away with it? 
It's like they were too comfy in their seats to care. 
but with a demotion and no overtime pay! 
It's not just about one person getting caught; it's about creating a culture where corruption can't thrive. 