Firm to investigate Independence police employee’s pay

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Independence plans to hire an outside firm to investigate a whistleblower’s allegation that a police officer was paid $160,000 in overtime last year for doing construction work. City Manager Zach Walker said no one has yet been disciplined. The officer reportedly was paid for 2,800 hours of overtime to remodel the police building. Walker says city workers spotted the unusually high pay last year but police department leaders said the overtime was authorized. Walker has ordered the police department to stop all remodeling work and any overtime not related to police work.