A Warner Robins police officer resigned after admitting that he took more than $750 for off-duty hours that he didn't work, according to police personnel records obtained by 13WMAZ.
An internal affairs investigation accused Brian Hubbard of conduct unbecoming an officer, violating his oath and theft by taking.
Chief Brett Evans said, “It’s not appropriate for a person, let alone a police officer...there are certain lines of conduct that you just can’t cross...the public puts a lot of trust in us and a violation of that trust comes with repercussions.”
Investigators looked at Hubbard's security hours at Georgia Military College's Warner Robins campus during April and May.
After viewing school security video, they concluded that Hubbard often reported late for shifts he said he worked there, left early or didn't show up at all.
According to the investigative report, Hubbard admitted that he falsely billed GMC for 33 hours, which cost the school $757.50.
The department also concluded that Hubbard falsely billed GMC for about nine hours in June, but that he was never paid for those shifts.
Evans said Hubbard's actions came as a shock. He said Hubbard was, in many ways, a model officer.
"He was terrific, he was a terrific officer," said Evans. "He looked good in the uniform, he was former military, he had plenty of commendations, he was well liked."
Records show that he was part of the department's SWAT team and had been commended for his role in defusing a dangerous situation involving a man with a "samurai sword." He was also commended for volunteering his time to read to a 4th grade class at Miller Elementary and for his "professionalism" at the department's inaugural "Coffee with a Cop" event in 2014.
According to the internal affairs report, Hubbard said he won custody of his 5-year-old son after litigation and blamed the false billing on his child-care problems. He said his mother helped care for his son during his regular duty hours on patrol.
When asked if he thought Hubbard could still be an asset to another law enforcement agency some time in the future, Evans said, “all in all, they're going to have a good officer... I think he made a mistake. I think that mistake was costly. I really do. Do I think he’s got the ability to learn from that mistake and move on? I honestly do.”
Police records say Hubbard has worked shifts at GMC for more than a year, but that investigators could not view security video at the school before late March.
Evans says his department coordinates the security program at GMC, but all officers who do security work there are off-duty, and the school pays the officers directly.
He says the officers doing GMC work are in Warner Robins Police Department uniforms and vehicles.
Documents show that Hubbard resigned on August 3, 2018, but that resignation didn't go into effect until August 26.
GMC is a taxpayer funded college, according to spokesperson Jobie Shields.
According to Evans, the school ultimately decided not to press charges against Hubbard.