A city employee with the human resources department is in police custody and faces a felony embezzlement charge after allegedly taking unearned overtime pay.
    
Power, 44, of Springfield, is an 11-year city employee and has been placed on unpaid leave. He fraudulently reported working more hours than he actually did, essentially padding his paycheck, said Jody Donaldson, police department spokesman. 
    
Authorities, working in conjunction with the human resources department, began investigating Power after receiving a tip about his alleged misconduct August 10, Donaldson said. Power may have been abusing the department’s overtime and compensatory pay policy for more than a year, he said.  Power was arrested yesterday afternoon and taken to the citys adult detention center. 
    
The investigation remains active and more charges may be coming, police said. Officials don’t know how much Power may have cost the city.

If convicted, Power will be fired, said Tony Castrilli, city spokesman. 
    
The human resources department has overhauled their overtime and compensatory time approval policy in the wake of Powers arrest, officials said. 

Power isn’t the first city employee to face embezzlement charges in recent years. Police arrested William Fell in 2009 after he stole more than $170,000 in loose change from parking meters while emptying and repairing them. 

A DASH employee was charged with embezzling roughly $30,000 from the Old Town Transit Shop after allegedly admitted the theft in her letter of resignation in 2010.