Pineville, La. (10/31/2022) – On February 8, 2022, the Regional Administrator notified the Louisiana Legislative Auditor (LLA), in writing, of possible misappropriation of public funds by then Captain David Patterson.
From July 2020 to December 2021, former Captain Patterson recorded and was paid $15,099 for 391 hours of COVID-19 overtime on weekend days that he either did not work or failed to go through the agency’s mandatory COVID-19 screening process.
During this period, the agency required all employees and visitors to be screened for COVID-19 and have their names recorded on a screening log sheet. Agency records show that Mr. Patterson’s name was not recorded on the screening log sheets on 62 of the 67 weekend days he allegedly worked overtime.
In addition, 15 officers whose time overlapped with Mr. Patterson’s weekend overtime told auditors they did not recall Mr. Patterson working overtime on the weekends. By failing to go through the agency’s screening process, Mr. Patterson appears to have violated agency policy.
Further, if Mr. Patterson recorded and was paid for overtime hours not worked, Mr. Patterson may have violated state laws.
