Attorney General Vincent Frazer said last week that V.I. Police Department Officer Delvin Fleming was arrested on charges that he abused the government’s annual and sick leave policy, specifically the government’s “Donated Leave Program” to obtain money under false pretenses and that he submitted forged documents in an attempt to further defraud the government enabling him to work abroad while still employed by the department.
Fleming, a police officer based on St. Thomas, turned himself in upon learning that there was a warrant issued for his arrest and was advised of his rights by Magistrate Kathleen Mackay of the Superior Court on Thursday morning, based upon a warrant that was previously issued.
Agents of the Special Investigations Unit of the V.I. Justice Department determined that Fleming requested donated sick leave from fellow officers in the VIPD and other government employees as part of a scam to remain on medical leave but in the active employment of the VIPD while serving as a guard for a security contractor in Afghanistan.
While on medical leave with the VIPD and continuing to receive his salary, Fleming is alleged to have been earning up to $118,000 while working for the ArmorGroup North America as an executive security guard.
As part of the scam, not only did Fleming request donated sick leave from fellow VI government employees, he filed false medical statements from service providers, some bearing forged signatures of physicians, to justify his extended medical leave from the police department.
He also filed false statements with the VIPD suggesting that his leave from the department was to facilitate treatment to a sick child at an off island facility, all while in the employment of the security guard agency in Afghanistan.
VIPD Commissioner Henry White said he was disappointed in the actions of Officer Fleming.
“This department has zero tolerance for officers who take an oath to uphold the laws of the Virgin Islands and revert to the types of actions that Officer Fleming is alleged to have become involved in,” said White. “I was briefed by the Attorney General as to the findings of the investigation and now that Officer Fleming has been arrested and charged, he will be placed on leave, in accordance with provisions of the police union’s collective bargaining agreement, pending the outcome of these criminal proceedings.”
Fleming was most recently assigned to the Training Division of the VIPD.