The Criminal Investigation Division of the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office today charged Scott Flowers with four counts each of criminal trespass, forgery, tampering with physical evidence, possession of a controlled substance, and five counts of theft by unlawful taking.  At the time of the alleged offenses, Flowers was serving as a Lower Swatara Township police officer.

In January 2018, the Lower Swatara Township Police Department reported to the District Attorney’s Office that money had been stolen from one of their detectives at the police station. The Lower Swatara Township Police Department asked that the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) conduct the inquiry and they pledged their full cooperation.

CID and the Lower Swatara Township Police Department conducted an audit of the evidence locker.  They found that four evidence envelopes had been opened and resealed with the submitting officers’ signatures traced over.  The evidence envelopes should have contained but were missing heroin, morphine, and oxycodone.  Less than 10 dosage units were missing from each envelope.  CID’s investigation resulted in evidence that Flowers had been accessing the evidence locker without authorization.

The probable cause affidavit filed in this case noted that Flowers admitted to detectives that he stole and used the controlled substances.  The Lower Swatara Township Police Department immediately suspended Officer Flowers and he subsequently resigned.  Flowers cooperated during the investigation.  The District Attorney’s Office has notified all parties in cases affected by the evidence tampering.  We have taken appropriate actions, including withdrawing charges, to avoid any injustice.

These charges are mere allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent.