ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – An Orlando police officer who turned himself in Monday on allegations that he defrauded vendors by billing them for extra-duty shifts that he almost never worked.
Oscar Polanco, 28, faces charges of scheme to defraud and grand theft of $10,000 or more, according to the Orange County Clerk of Court.
According to Polanco’s case report, he used RollKall — a service that connects law-enforcement officers with vendors’ extra-duty assignments and ensures the vendor, police department and officer benefit from the work — to sign up for 76 jobs between May 13, 2024, and July 27, 2024.
Of the 76 jobs, 50 clock-ins and 42 clock-outs were linked to coordinates matching those of Polanco’s home. Investigators eventually decided to hone in on 40 extra-duty assignments that he signed onto from May 17, 2024, to July 21, 2024, stating there was sufficient data to show “these 40 extra-duty assignments were not worked by Polanco.”
Polanco failed to check in and out of service for 38 of the 40 assignments — what investigators say is “required by OPD to do the job” of a police officer, i.e. able to monitor and respond to goings on — and he did not log into his police department computer for any of the jobs, nor did he ever activate his radio or power on his assigned body-worn camera for them, police said.
The case report alleges Polanco defrauded the following vendors:
- Shoppes of Windor Oaks (6700 Conroy Road)
- Polanco allegedly fraudulently billed for 12 shifts via RollKall a total of $4,015 between May 17, 2024, and July 21, 2024. Polanco was paid for four shifts, totaling $1,210, before investigators discovered the discrepancies and held the additional invoices, police said.
- Ramada Plaza (6500 International Drive)
- Polanco allegedly fraudulently billed for eight shifts via RollKall a total of $3,637. Polanco had already been paid $2,137.50, police said.
- Shoppes of Portofino (5787 Vineland Road)
- Polanco allegedly fraudulently billed for five shifts via RollKall a total of $1,995. Polanco had already been paid $1,155 police said.
- Pacifico Place Apartments (5801 Shenandoah)
- Polanco allegedly fraudulently billed for six shifts via RollKall a total of $1,680. Polanco had already been paid the full amount, police said.
- Metrowest (2121 S. Hiawassee Road)
- Polanco allegedly fraudulently billed for seven shifts via RollKall a total of $2,200. Polanco had already been paid the full amount, police said.
- Fairway Cover (6500 Fairway Cove Drive)
- Polanco allegedly fraudulently billed for two shifts via RollKall a total of $400. Polanco had already been paid the full amount, police said.
Investigators said the Orlando Police Department was paid a total of $926.25 in fees from the above vendors for jobs billed by Polanco, adding the money will now likely need to be paid back to said vendors.
At the onset, when an extra-duty coordinator pressed Polanco on how he could confirm he was onsite for the some of the shifts — given he did not check in or out of service with OPD Headquarters — Polanco allegedly responded via text, “I see how that can be an issue. I was just told that early on and have not had an issue until now. But if it’s too much of an issue, I honestly would rather not get paid than to cause you any inconvenience or get you in trouble. I just have to make sure to do it moving forward.”
Investigators noted this response was “troubling,” stating “it is extremely unusual for an individual to not want to be paid for work they have performed, especially when the amount is in the thousands of dollars.
Polanco came to the agency in 2022 with prior law enforcement experience from another agency, according to his case report.
He turned himself in on Monday, answering to a warrant for his arrest.