Police were paid to play charity basketball

TACOMA – The Tacoma police chief says his department was wrong in paying about a dozen officers a full day’s wage to play in a charity basketball game last month.

An anonymous whistleblower filed a complaint with the city June 1 alleging officers got their full 10-hour shift pay even though the game lasted only a few hours and that they were paid to practice, while other officers had to work overtime to cover their shifts.

Chief Don Ramsdell said the department will investigate the details of the complaint.

Ramsdell said the mistake did not intend to defraud citizens.