TEMPE, Ariz. — A former Tempe police officer is facing criminal charges after allegedly receiving over $24,000 in wages and benefits for overtime hours he did not work.
Demetrius D. Mitchell, who resigned from the Tempe Police Department on July 8, was arrested Thursday following an investigation into fraudulent overtime claims.
Mitchell is accused of submitting nearly 300 hours of unworked overtime across several months. Public records indicate that most of the alleged false overtime requests were for nine to ten hours at a time.
The department’s investigation included reviews of body-worn camera footage, phone records, call sheets, and GPS data, all of which reportedly showed Mitchell was not working during the claimed overtime periods.
Mitchell now faces felony charges of fraud and theft.
Tempe Police Chief Kenneth McCoy released a statement emphasizing accountability:
“Our officers are held to a higher standard. When there is sufficient evidence that an officer has violated the law and broken public trust, we will make an arrest and hold them accountable.”
