09-06-2008, 07:47 PM
ZEPHYRHILLS - Kenneth Fong, a former city policeman whose complaints about payroll discrepancies within the Zephyrhills Police Department led to last month's resignation of police Chief Russell Barnes, wants his job back.
Fong, 40, was fired by the police department in April 2007 after working about six months. He was terminated after being accused of driving erratically on his way to work, city records show.
Although Fong was officially exonerated of the allegation that led to his termination, City Manager Steve Spina said Friday that he is "inclined at this stage not to reinstate him."
"There were other disciplinary concerns with his employment and he was a probationary employee," Spina said, referring to the one-year period during which new police officers can be terminated without cause.
"It's a period of making sure that employee is who you want," he said.
Spina said Fong approached him in May with information about payroll discrepancies at the police department. At the time, Fong was not seeking re-employment, Spina said.
Fong said Friday that he wants to come back because it has been hard finding another job in law enforcement.
Payroll information Fong supplied also involved former Sgt. Robert Perrault, whose internal affairs investigation led to his termination.
Perrault, who also taught classes at Pasco-Hernando Community College, was accused of "double-dipping" - claiming to have been working for the city while teaching criminal justice classes at the college. He resigned during the investigation to teach at Zephyrhills High School, a post he applied for before the payroll probe began.
The city's investigation concluded that Barnes created a log documenting so-called "flex time" that Perrault used to justify claiming the hours on the clock for the city and PHCC. The city does not have a policy allowing flex time.
According to city records, Perrault was paid more than $2,000 for hours he did not work, mostly in 2006 and 2007.
The city is paying Barnes and Perrault, who each denied wrongdoing, nearly $24,500 in back pay and other costs, Spina said Thursday. Barnes will take home just more than $10,420, while Perrault's net payout will be slightly more than $4,000. Spina said the city likely will lose the $2,000 paid to Perrault while he was teaching at PHCC.
"The city has no problem paying Barnes and Perrault, and writing letters of recommendation," Fong said, referring to a recommendation Spina gave the Pasco County School District on Perrault's behalf. "But, no one has offered to make it right for me by financially compensating me for my loss of job or offering me my job back."
Fong said Friday he has spoken to a lawyer, but has not hired one. Because he had not been with the police department at least a year, Fong was not a member of the West Central Florida Police Benevolent Association, which represents the police department.
The "disciplinary concerns" regarding Fong's employment involved tardiness issues. In February 2007, he was suspended a day without pay after receiving two written admonishments and a verbal counseling for reporting late to duty several times, city records show.
However, in a letter written in June to Barnes and City Attorney Joe Poblick, Spina exonerated Fong of erratic driving. He also noted that some clocks at the police department "were recording time seven to eight minutes ahead of real time."
"This may explain several incidents where Officer Fong was determined to be late for work," Spina wrote.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/sep/06/pa-fong-wants-to-rejoin-police/news-pasco/
Fong, 40, was fired by the police department in April 2007 after working about six months. He was terminated after being accused of driving erratically on his way to work, city records show.
Although Fong was officially exonerated of the allegation that led to his termination, City Manager Steve Spina said Friday that he is "inclined at this stage not to reinstate him."
"There were other disciplinary concerns with his employment and he was a probationary employee," Spina said, referring to the one-year period during which new police officers can be terminated without cause.
"It's a period of making sure that employee is who you want," he said.
Spina said Fong approached him in May with information about payroll discrepancies at the police department. At the time, Fong was not seeking re-employment, Spina said.
Fong said Friday that he wants to come back because it has been hard finding another job in law enforcement.
Payroll information Fong supplied also involved former Sgt. Robert Perrault, whose internal affairs investigation led to his termination.
Perrault, who also taught classes at Pasco-Hernando Community College, was accused of "double-dipping" - claiming to have been working for the city while teaching criminal justice classes at the college. He resigned during the investigation to teach at Zephyrhills High School, a post he applied for before the payroll probe began.
The city's investigation concluded that Barnes created a log documenting so-called "flex time" that Perrault used to justify claiming the hours on the clock for the city and PHCC. The city does not have a policy allowing flex time.
According to city records, Perrault was paid more than $2,000 for hours he did not work, mostly in 2006 and 2007.
The city is paying Barnes and Perrault, who each denied wrongdoing, nearly $24,500 in back pay and other costs, Spina said Thursday. Barnes will take home just more than $10,420, while Perrault's net payout will be slightly more than $4,000. Spina said the city likely will lose the $2,000 paid to Perrault while he was teaching at PHCC.
"The city has no problem paying Barnes and Perrault, and writing letters of recommendation," Fong said, referring to a recommendation Spina gave the Pasco County School District on Perrault's behalf. "But, no one has offered to make it right for me by financially compensating me for my loss of job or offering me my job back."
Fong said Friday he has spoken to a lawyer, but has not hired one. Because he had not been with the police department at least a year, Fong was not a member of the West Central Florida Police Benevolent Association, which represents the police department.
The "disciplinary concerns" regarding Fong's employment involved tardiness issues. In February 2007, he was suspended a day without pay after receiving two written admonishments and a verbal counseling for reporting late to duty several times, city records show.
However, in a letter written in June to Barnes and City Attorney Joe Poblick, Spina exonerated Fong of erratic driving. He also noted that some clocks at the police department "were recording time seven to eight minutes ahead of real time."
"This may explain several incidents where Officer Fong was determined to be late for work," Spina wrote.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/sep/06/pa-fong-wants-to-rejoin-police/news-pasco/