Justin A. Hallstrom City of Stockton ,Police Department, and CalPers fraudulent Industrial Medical Disability Retirement Stockton Lodi California

Privileged whistleblowing information initially only known by those involved until now- the state continues to lose money from fraud. 2009- Stockton, California Stockton Police Department Justin A. Hallstrom was a Detective in the Family Crimes/Domestic Violence division of the Stockton Police Department. With the knowledge obtained from a former co-worker who had just medically retired from the City of Stockton, Justin began the steps to fraudulently plan early retirement from the City of Stockton Police Department, with the intention to collect tax-free yearly income. He falsified a claim by faking an on-the-job injury in order to collect Workers Compensation; and then to fraudulently start the process of Industrial Disability Retirement (Medical) through the City of Stockton and CalPers. He received workers compensation in 2009 and subsequently filed a false industrial disability retirement claim thereafter. City of Stockton and CalPers unknowingly approved his claim in March 2011- he researched on what to say by receiving medical input as far as medical symptoms and complaints, from his wife who is nurse. He also consulted on what to do and what to expect during the process of his claim, with one of his close friends (E. G.) who happened to be leaving California for Louisiana after just retiring as a police officer from the City of Stockton Police Department.

Justin's intentions to leave the City of Stockton Police Department and reasons to expedite the fraudulent claim process:

1) the City was about to switch to a different company- a change of insurance carriers from York to Corvel. He obtained knowledge that claims submitted through the current company (York) were more likely to successfully pass through the various "easy" stages/levels of claims processing to final approval, whereas the new insurance carrier, Corvel, seemingly had a more stringent criteria and claims process involving the MD evaluation and number of evaluations required. The idea was to file before the deadline date of the switch for insurance carriers in order for his claim to be processed and approved by York;

2) after witnessing the mass of City of Stockton employees, from various departments, retire or leave the police department AND/OR city altogether, due to the pre-bankruptcy government/ administration troubles brewing and mounting within the City of Stockton. The legitimate (and non-legit) "cashing out" of many police officers in hastily retiring, along with the mass exodus of police officers leaving the department for other City police departments, were eminent key factors leading to the city bankruptcy, which shortly followed through and became national headline news;

2) not wanting to go back to patrol since employees were about to bid for new positions within the Police Department based on seniority. Detective positions, aside from basic Police Officer positions were being drastically cut, and with his seniority, Justin would miss the cutoff for a coveted Detective spot and any day position, which placed him at the risk of going back to patrol or working graveyard hours- things he personally did not want or believed he deserved;

3) he wanted to take a chance, in a non-traditional way, in becoming a professional poker player. He currently has not been successful in profiting from that quest, in which his fraudulent retirement allotment has funded. However, he stopped his quest shortly after achieving brief success in winning 2nd place (approximately $60000) in the 2009 WSOP Circuit Event at Harvey's Lake Tahoe;

4) he believed his career was going nowhere (which is why he tried the poker route). He expected too much without putting in the work. He had just taken the Police Sergeant test and admitted his expectation to passing without actually studying for the exam. He didn't pass the test, therefore, he did not promote to Sergeant. He gave up on that goal with the reasoning that being a new Sergeant would equal low seniority and horrible hours. He decided to climb the ladder another way- successful Field Training Officer and working once a week learning the Detective role. He eventually landed a position in the Family Crimes Unit. Unfortunately, the aspirations in his law enforcement career didn't last long because it was after only two years that he started to openly talk about and devise his plan to commit retirement fraud.

Fraud is rampant among employees and the effects are statewide. His fraudulent claim affects and involves issues closely related to the City of Stockton bankruptcy (search City of Stockton bankruptcy, City of Stockton police department, and CalPers). His act and the role in which it played, has indirectly and negatively affected what many of his former coworkers worked so hard to build- retirement. Although not the cause in the direct line of impact, his fraudulent claim affects current retirement and benefits for new recruits, current Stockton Police Officers, and their Association (SPOA). The members no longer have what were "cake" benefits back then (1997-2011) nor the ease in early retirement. Almost 10 years have passed from his profiting of untaxed income and benefits- roughly $55,000 x 10 yrs= $555,000. "Free" money with the OPTION of working another job on the side, if that's not enough yearly income...a widespread idea known and a perfect idea for many crooked employees and those under the "protection" of working for a government entity.. Free money apparently is not enough, though. Justin is currently doing the "option" as a District Loss Prevention Manager for TJ Maxx/Marshalls Department Stores in Northern and Central California. TJ Maxx ethics and code of conduct-based motto: "HONESTY and INTERGRITY are always in style". Way to go, Justin.