INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — The Independence Police Department on Wednesday allowed reporters to see some of the building renovations that have become the center of an investigation into the misuse of overtime pay.

Police say remodeling work has been going on at the headquarters building over a period of years.

City Manager Zach Walker announced last week that an initial investigation into a whistleblower’s complaints of overtime mismanagement found them to be credible.

The complaint brought to light misuse of police overtime pay for non-law enforcement construction work that’s been taking place at headquarters.

On Wednesday, the city allowed news outlets access to completed renovations of office space and a briefing room for patrol officers. Remodeling also is underway in the building’s detention area.

Walker said more than 2,800 hours of overtime has been paid to at least one officer. According to the city manager, that officer received more than $200,000 in gross pay and benefits.

The city also said one police department employee has been placed on administrative leave amid the investigation. Spokespersons for the city and police department refused to identify which employee was placed on leave, but did confirm there is a new acting interim police chief at this time.

“All work has been stopped until we figure out what’s going on and see what the course of the investigation shows,” said Matt McLaughlin, spokesperson for the Independence Police Department.

Police said they hope a third-party investigation will determine why an officer was hired to perform remodeling work on overtime.

The investigation might also determine whether more than one officer also received overtime in exchange for performing the construction work.

Much of the finished work FOX4 saw involved new paint and flooring in the headquarters building.