EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) – Two Evansville Police Department (EPD) supervisors, Sgt. William Shirley and Lt. Stacy Shirley, are under investigation for allegedly defrauding multiple employers, including the Evansville Housing Authority (EHA) and Dillard’s Department Store, while claiming to be working off-duty jobs.
EPD Chief Phillip Smith said the department launched a criminal investigation in late April after receiving a tip from another officer regarding the Shirleys’ alleged misconduct.
William, who handled off-duty scheduling for EHA, and Stacy, who managed similar duties for Dillard’s, were accused of collecting pay for hours never worked.
Key Allegations:
Discrepancies were found in hours reported vs. actual activity for both officers.
Stacy’s vehicle GPS showed she often left her EPD shift early without submitting time-off requests.
Text messages between the couple showed coordination in submitting false hours for payment.
At Dillard’s, William allegedly clocked in for Stacy while she was working her EPD job.
On May 16, the Shirleys were placed on paid administrative leave, which later changed to unpaid leave after warrants were issued for their arrests.
Police say the pair face multiple charges including:
Level 5 Felony Corrupt Business Influence
Multiple counts of Fraud
Official Misconduct
They were arrested just before 4 p.m. and later bonded out of the Vanderburgh County Jail.
William Shirley was the 2nd Shift Motor Patrol Supervisor, and Stacy Shirley served as the Juvenile Investigations Division Commander.
The Evansville Police Merit Commission will determine the couple’s future employment status. The investigation is ongoing, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
