Deputy Suspended, Repaying City For Leaving Work

By Brian Maass

DENVER (CBS4)- A veteran Denver Sheriffs Department deputy has been suspended for 30 days and ordered to repay the city for repeatedly leaving work early. Deputy Dick Montoya Jr. will serve the second half of his suspension this month after admitting that he regularly left work two hours early in 2014 and 2015 because "all the work was done."

According to a letter of discipline issued to Montoya last month and obtained by CBS4, the department found he left his 10-hour Saturday shift early on at least 13 different occasions.

"Instead of remaining on post for the 10 hours for which he knew he was scheduled, Deputy Montoya left two hours without relief or prior approval," reads the letter from the Department of Safety. "Deputy Montoya also knowingly falsified his time accounting sheets by representing that he had worked a full 10-hour shift and by signing the time accounting sheets."

Civilian Review Administrator Shannon Elwell went on to write, "As such, Deputy Montoya engaged in theft from the city."

Montoya has agreed to have 36 hours of vacation time subtracted from his vacation bank as restitution to the city. Montoya has worked for the Denver Sheriffs Department since 1997. An internal affairs investigation shows that Montoya was caught when staff from the Court Services Division reported concerns that Montoya was leaving work early. Supervisors eventually reviewed videotape footage which showed the Deputy leaving his job hours before the end of the shift. They say Montoya confessed when confronted with the time discrepancies.

Through a spokesperson, Denver Sheriff Patrick Firman declined to discuss the Montoya case.

Denver Sheriffs Department spokesperson Simon Crittle said, "This officer did the wrong thing," but said there would be no additional comment from the department or Firman.

CBS4 Investigator Brian Maass has been with the station more than 30 years uncovering waste, fraud and corruption. Follow him on Twitter @Briancbs4.