The Oakland Police Department has found evidence that an employee committed grand theft, OPD announced today.
In a press release, the department said irregularities were discovered in an employee’s timesheet during a routine internal audit. Following the audit, the department initiated a criminal investigation and an internal affairs investigation while the employee was placed on a modified assignment.
The criminal investigation “revealed alleged grand theft and public official fraud totaling approximately $38,000,” the OPD statement said.
OPD declined to identify the employee, saying the employee is currently on administrative leave and that this is an “ongoing personnel matter.”
But a charging document filed by the district attorney identified the employee as Kevin Arias. Arias, a sergeant, joined OPD in 2005. City records show that his salary was $168,000 in 2025 and that he earned $94,000 in overtime that year and $59,000 in other pay. We were unable to locate Arias for comment.
The department didn’t immediately respond to questions, including when the audit and investigations that identified the alleged fraud happened. The department did not immediately make Arias available for response.
OPD said it is committed to transparency and accountability. “Moving forward, OPD is collaborating with the city to implement improved technology for better tracking and to reduce the risk of future misconduct,” the department said.
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Before joining The Oaklandside as News Editor, Darwin BondGraham was a freelance investigative reporter covering police and prosecutorial misconduct. He has reported on gun violence for The Guardian and was a staff writer for the East Bay Express. He holds a doctorate in sociology from UC Santa Barbara and was the co-recipient of the George Polk Award for local reporting in 2017. He is also the co-author of The Riders Come Out at Night, a book examining the Oakland Police Department’s history of corruption and reform.