Former Lakeland police officer Miguel Acevedo was arrested after investigators say he falsified his time slips. Mugshot is courtesy of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
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LAKELAND, Fla. – A former Lakeland police officer is seeing things from the other side of the law after investigators say he falsified time slips for off-duty detail assignments.
Lakeland police investigation
What we know:
According to the Lakeland Police Department, an internal investigation found discrepancies between 44-year-old Miguel Acevedo’s time slips and his location during periods of off-duty detail assignments.
Police Chief Sam Taylor ordered a criminal investigation to review the matter.
The investigation, according to LPD, found that Acevedo showed a pattern of repeatedly representing he was present and working assigned details when electronic records showed otherwise.
According to LPD, the investigation identified 54 separate incidents occurring between July 7, 2022, and May 26, 2026, in which Officer Acevedo either clocked into or out of assigned details while located outside the approved geographic boundaries of the worksite.
Investigators say these incidents resulted in approximately $1,046.50 in compensation being paid to Officer Acevedo for time associated with attendance discrepancies and location irregularities.
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Acevedo had been on administrative leave since the start of the investigation. He was paid an annual salary of $90,451.
Acevedo was booked into the Polk County Jail without incident this afternoon and charged with grand theft and scheming to defraud.
Immediately after being processed, Acevedo resigned his position from the Lakeland Police Department.
The arrest of Acevedo will still be subject to an administrative review.
Charges in Polk County
What we don’t know:
Officials have not yet confirmed the specific tracking methods used to verify Acevedo’s location during his off-duty shifts. It also remains unclear how long the final administrative review process will take.
Chief Taylor statement
What they’re saying:
“Our officers are entrusted with serving the community with integrity, professionalism, and accountability,” Chief Taylor stated. “Maintaining the public’s trust requires every member of the Lakeland Police Department to meet the highest standards of conduct, both on and off duty. When an officer fails to uphold those standards, it is our responsibility to ensure they are held accountable.”
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