JACKSON, Tenn. — The former Chief Pilot of the Jackson Police Aviation Unit, Terry Hopper has been indicted for theft after allegedly receiving at least $29,499.07 in unearned wages and employer-paid benefits between May 2021 and August 2022, according to the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury.
The Madison County Grand Jury indicted him on one count of theft of property over $10,000 in Oct. 2024.
The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office launched an investigation after Jackson Police Department officials reported questionable payroll transactions.
In early 2020, Hopper was given permission to travel to a nearby law enforcement agency under the pretense of training for an advanced aviation certification, according to the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office.
In August 2022, investigators found that Hopper was going to Millington to do work for a ‘private business’.
Officials also found that Hopper was paid for 780.25 regular hours and 32 overtime hours while he was not physically at work.
Hopper’s unearned wages totaled $23,146.89, his unearned payroll benefits totaled $6,352.18.
The investigation also found that Hopper misused his assigned police vehicle privilege by fueling it while he was not at work.
Hopper retired from the Jackson Police Department on November 16, 2022.
“Employers should do their best to verify that employees are present at their assigned work location each day,” said Tennessee Comptroller, Jason Mumpower. “Failure to do so increases the risk that errors or intentional misappropriations will occur and remain undetected.”
