Overview
- The department terminated five commanders after a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office internal affairs probe sustained multiple policy violations related to overlapping paid hours.
- Investigators found commanders created overlapping entries after the city installed new payroll software in July 2022 by entering leave, signing up for extra-duty work, then removing leave after approval.
- The report documented dozens of post-2022 overlaps for specific leaders, including 55 entries for Captain Troy Marchese and 40 for Captain Joseph Ahern, while one retired captain showed no post-change overlaps.
- The command staff unions and the Fraternal Order of Police say the conduct reflected longstanding scheduling practices under prior leadership and plan to challenge the firings through grievance and binding arbitration.
- Thursday’s personnel actions follow earlier city audits and newsroom reporting that flagged years of overlapping timecards, and they may prompt closer oversight of timekeeping and further internal reviews of department leadership.