Officials: Stamford Cop Lied About Military Leave, Went On Hawaiian Vacation

STAMFORD, CONN. (CBSNewYork) -- A Stamford police officer is accused of lying to both his police department and the military so that he could go on a tropical vacation.

As WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau reported, when Stamford police tracked his cellphone, they learned officer Donald Chen was vacationing with his girlfriend in Hawaii.

Chen had told his superiors he was reporting for two weeks of military duty in the Army Reserves. But Police Chief John Fontneau said it was when the military contacted police for Chen's failure to show that he learned of the cover-up.

"I was ashamed, I was ashamed that this would happen to any police officer or anyone whose working for the military that they would look to deceive this city," Fontneau said.

Including pay and health benefits, Fontneau said Chen, who quit before being fired, duped the city out of nearly $4,000.

The question now, said the chief, is whether Chen has pulled this same stunt before.