The city of Tacoma paid the wages of an as yet undetermined number of police officers while they participated in a charity basketball tournament in late May, city officials said Tuesday.

The investigation, which was based on a “whistleblower” complaint filed with the city manger’s office June 1, is continuing. It was still unclear how many officers participated, how were on duty or whether, as the complaint alleges, additional officers had to cover their shifts on overtime. The anonymous complaint also claims officers were paid for a full 10-hour shift, even through the game lasted only a couple of hours and that they were paid for practice sessions in the weeks leading up to the tournament.

One of the reasons there are so many unknowns is that one of the key individuals has been on vacation, city spokesman Rob McNair-Huff said.

“What we have been able to determine is that there were some police department staff who apparently were compensated while playing in the basketball game,” he said.

The May 29 event was the fifth annual contest between Tacoma’s police and fire departments to benefit the Hilltop Action Coalition.

The “Hilltop Challenge” raised about $7,000 this year, said Jeanie Peterson, the non-profit’s director of community initiatives.

She said she hoped the investigation didn’t overshadow the good the event does. Proceeds from ticket sales and ads placed in the brochure help fund the group’s efforts to clean up the Hilltop neighborhood.

“We’ve reduced crime with by 80 percent on the Hilltop through the partnership that we’ve built over the years with community policing,” Peterson said. “It’s a way for community to give back to our agency.”

She said the event is not only a good way to build camaraderie between the two agencies, but promoted physical fitness among the officers.

This year, the firefighters won 80-68, bringing their total victories to four, the agency said in a news release on its Web site. The Tacoma Police have claimed a single victory.

There were no photos showing the number of police players; 13 people are featured in the firefighters’ victory shot.

KOMO-TV, which reported on the allegations Monday, reported that one firefighter was also on duty during the event. Fire Department spokeswoman Jolene Davis said that upon further review, the firefighter had actually been using a vacation day.

Nor did the fire team get together and practice while on duty, she said. Firefighters are, however, allowed and encouraged to use one hour of their 24-hour shifts for physical fitness.

It was also unclear Tuesday whether city employees have been paid during past years while participating in the game.

Police Chief Don Ramsdell issued a memo to all personnel on June 17 stating that “effective immediately, all events requesting department participation for fundraising purposes will be done on a volunteer basis and not on paid duty time. This will include preparation and/or practicing for the event.”

(Photo from a news item on Hilltop Action Coalition's Web site.)

[More:]

Update: We're on this story too, now. I talked to city spokesman Rob McNair-Huff who confirmed the city's investigation did find that Tacoma police officers were paid while playing basketball in a charity tournament.

Further details like the number of people involved, the cost to the city, who authorized it, etc. are still being investigated he said.

Look for a more in depth story later this afternoon or tomorrow.

Original post: KOMO-TV had a nice scoop about a police complaint about Tacoma Police officers being paid to play basketball.

TACOMA, Wash. -- A whistleblower claims the city of Tacoma paid its police officers to play basketball, according to a complaint filed with the Tacoma Police Department.

The complaint prompted the department's internal affairs office to launch an investigation into a practice that may have been going on for several years.

Once a year, Tacoma police and firefighters square off on the basketball court to raise money for the Hilltop Action Coalition, an alliance of 72 block groups that work to promote a community free of illegal drugs and gang activity.

The complaint claims those police officers were paid to play in the game, which have become an annual tradition. In the weeks leading up to the game, the complaint alleges, the officers were even getting paid to practice.

The whistleblower states police officers were paid for a full ten-hour shift even though the charity game only lasted two or three hours.

Follow this link to read the full story.