A Millsboro Police Department officer is under investigation for potentially tampering with a controlled substance in evidence, the department announced Friday.
The officer, whose name has not been publicly released, has been put on paid administrative leave.
Millsboro police said that the officer was found “unresponsive” in his patrol car at 11:20 a.m. on Feb. 19. He was taken to the hospital for possible exposure to fentanyl, according to the department.
The statement from the department did not indicate whether there was actual fentanyl exposure or what form that exposure took.
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Were drugs ‘improperly accessed’?
The Millsboro Police Department said that the officer, who was in charge of evidence for the department, may have “improperly accessed” drugs seized in another case.
When asked about why a press release was not issued until nearly a month after the investigation began, the chief of the Millsboro Police Department declined to comment.
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The investigation has been handed over to Delaware State Police and the Delaware Department of Justice’s Division of Civil Rights and Public Trust. The Millsboro Police Department said it will also conduct internal investigations “as necessary.”
In addition to its investigation of the Millsboro Police Department officer, the Department of Justice said its Criminal Division is working to identify any cases that may have been affected by the possible tampering with evidence and notify those involved.
“Unfortunately, this officer’s suspected misconduct has serious consequences for himself, for his community and for his fellow officers whose work may be jeopardized by his actions,” said a Department of Justice spokesperson.
Send story tips or ideas to Hannah Edelman at hedelman@delawareonline.com. For more reporting, follow them on Twitter at @h_edelman.
