The Seymour Board of Public Works and Safety has placed two police officers on unpaid administrative leave as the department conducts an internal investigation into charges related to ghost employment, official misconduct and theft.

A special meeting was conducted at city hall Wednesday afternoon when Seymour Police Chief Bryant Lucas made the request.

Former Police Chief Bill Abbott and Capt. Carl Lamb have been on paid administrative leave since October 2019 when an investigation was initiated by the Indiana State Police after that agency received an anonymous tip about potential wrongdoing within the Seymour Police Department.

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Abbott and Lamb were arrested on charges of ghost employment, official misconduct and theft Feb. 12.

During the four-month investigation, Indiana State Police detectives say they determined both Abbott and Lamb performed and were paid for duties by outside employers while also working in their official capacity with the police department.

Board members Dave Earley and Mayor Matt Nicholson voted to place Abbott and Lamb on unpaid leave. Board member Jim Potts and city attorney Christina Engleking did not attend the meeting.

Earley and Nicholson also accepted a letter of retirement from Lamb, effective Feb. 14, ending his 33-year career in law enforcement. Lamb joined the force in 1987 as a patrolman.

Abbott began his career as a patrolman in 1989 and served as police chief from 2008 until his retirement in September 2019. Due to banked time off, his official retirement doesn’t go into effect until March 13.

A pretrial conference for Abbott has been scheduled for 9 a.m. April 17. Lamb’s is scheduled for 1:45 p.m. April 16.