LADY LAKE, Fla. — 9 Investigates a Lady Lake police officer accused of writing bogus tickets, incomplete reports and lying to get out of work.
The state said none of those issues are moral problems so Officer Paul Eppley could still be transferred to another department.
Eppley was thrown into jail eight years ago and two years before that he was convicted of putting the wrong tags on his vehicle and never bothered to pay the fines.
Eppley was fired within a year of working with the Mascotte police for not properly searching a prisoner, placing a juvenile in a cell at an adult jail and leaving him there and calls back and forth with his wife while on duty.
He was cited for allegedly misusing the DAVID computer system to look up personal information against the department and state policies.
According to reports, traffic citations were never turned in for a supervisor's review.
Documents said Eppley allegedly lied about a stolen vehicle report by saying it took place in Sumter County rather than investigating
Another time he disobeyed a direct order and left the north end of the city unmanned while a call for service was holding because he was interested in a stolen car.
Eppley has left two central Florida departments for what the state calls unfavorable misconduct.
Eppley said in an email to Channel 9 that his departure from Lady Lake was a mutual decision.
Cox Media Group
