Clearwater police officer arrested on pension fraud, theft charges

An 11-year veteran officer with the Clearwater Police Department has been arrested on charges that he exaggerated the effects of an injury to collect benefits from the city, according to a news release from police and arrest records.

Scott Penna, 35, was arrested Thursday and taken to the Pinellas County Jail on felony charges of scheme to defraud, pension fraud and grand theft. Bail on the charges was set at $10,500 and Penna left the jail about 40 minutes later, records show.

Penna, who was hired in 2013 and worked as a patrol officer, injured his arm on Jan. 18, 2023, as he was removing an “uncooperative subject” from the back of his cruiser. An initial report about the injury said he worked the rest of his shift and was not expected to miss work, the news release states.

Penna, who has been on and off light duty since the injury, had two surgeries on his right arm. On Feb. 22 of this year, he applied for disability pension. He claimed he could no longer do his job because of “continued limitations with his right hand,” the news release states.

About two weeks later, Penna said he could no longer drive to work for his light-duty assignment, either. “The city’s Risk Management Department became skeptical and began an investigation,” the news release states.

Officials determined that Penna often drove his personal vehicle and was able to use both his hands and even lift weights at the gym.

“The behaviors exhibited on surveillance video were inconsistent with his alleged disability and limitations,” Clearwater police Chief Eric Gandy said in a news release.

Penna has been placed on administrative leave, where he will remain during an internal investigation.

The city news release said Penna’s actions were “an affront to officers who might truly need a disability pension.”

”It’s reserved for people who really can’t do the job anymore,” Gandy said in the news release. “The officers and taxpayers pay into the system to ensure our first responders are protected and shouldn’t have to worry about someone trying to dupe the system.”