Officer Jennie Jenkins (second from left) poses with city children in 2012, soon after the re-establishment of the Harrisburg Police Athletic League.
Harrisburg Police Officer Jennie Jenkins today was charged with five counts of theft for allegedly misdirecting funds intended for the city Police Athletic League to her own use.
Three years ago, Jenkins was widely lauded after helping to revive PAL, a charitable organization focused on helping city youth, which had been dormant for many years. The press release from state Attorney General Kathleen Kane’s office follows:
Harrisburg City Police Officer charged with stealing from HPAL
HARRISBURG – Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane today announced charges against a Harrisburg City Police Officer following allegations that she misappropriated funds from the Harrisburg Police Athletic League (HPAL), a volunteer charitable organization she helped administer.
According to the criminal complaint, Jennie Jenkins, 43, 2605 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg, paid herself out of HPAL’s charitable donations and grant funding following its revival in 2011.
The investigation revealed that when Jenkins assumed the role as president of the athletic league it was made clear that she would not receive any additional compensation beyond her salary as a city police officer.
The charges state that Jenkins allegedly wrote checks to herself from the athletic league’s account and submitted falsified time sheets for periods when she was actually performing regular police duties. Agents estimate that Jenkins stole $7,000 from the organization.
Jenkins is charged with four counts of theft by unlawful taking or disposition and one count of theft by deception.
Attorney General Kane thanked the Harrisburg City Police Department and the Dauphin County District Attorney’s office for their assistance with the investigation.
The case will be prosecuted in Dauphin County by the Office of Attorney General’s Criminal Prosecutions Section.
