TPD officer 'reassigned' for sneaking snack cash

TPD detective took $23 from an employee-run snack area

10/23/2013

A Toledo police detective was “reassigned” for taking cash from an employee snack bar.

Michael Schroeder, who was hired in December, 2002, is moving to the records bureau as an officer, said police Sgt. Joe Heffernan.

Officer Schroeder, who was a property detective, was moved from the investigative services unit on Oct. 16.

Sergeant Heffernan said the officer took $23 from the employee snack area, which is stocked and run by employees and not the department.

He was written up for conduct unbecoming an officer; no criminal charges are expected.

In September, department employees noticed money appeared to be missing from the collection bucket – the snack areas are run on the honor system. On Sept. 26, the employees set up a camera, the sergeant said.

About two weeks later, on Oct. 11, the employees noticed money appeared to be missing and tape was pulled from the camera.

On the recording, Sergeant Heffernan said Officer Schroeder was seen “taking down the money container and then putting it back up.”

When confronted, the officer said he "borrowed" $23 which he intended to pay back on pay day.

Sergeant Heffernan said the money was paid back.

Any cases that were in Officer Schroeder's workload will be reassigned to different detectives. He is the son of former Deputy Chief Michael Schroeder.