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Firefighters Indicted In Shift Changing Scandal

Thirteen Cleveland firefighters accused of improperly paying co-workers to cover their assigned shifts while they continued to receive salaries and benefits have been indicted on charges of theft in office. County Prosecutor Tim McGinty says an audit and a special investigation determined the firefighters each failed to work 2 thousand hours or more of their scheduled time. One is accused of failing to work more than 8 thousand hours. McGinty says they abused a system that allows limited shift-trading but doesn't allow firefighters to "sell" shifts. A statement from the local firefighters' union says it will continue representing its members as the case proceeds.

Jim has been with WCBE since 1996. Before that he worked as a reporter at another Columbus radio station, and for three newspapers in Southwest Florida.