Houston Police senior officer William Lindsey Jr., 50, made $172,576 last year, almost $120,000 more than the base salary for the position and more than the mayor. Lindsey earned the extra cash primarily from overtime payments on a driving while intoxicated task force. A Houston Chronicle investigation has revealed this week that Lindsey is not only the highest paid officer, he's also among the most reprimanded on the force.

Only 13 out of 4760 officers have had more than 23 complaints sustained after an internal affairs investigation. Lindsey has had 32 sustained. The force will not reveal whether there have been other, less serious disciplinary problems that did not enter the formal reprimand process. Lindsey does have a number of supportive comments from members of the public he has helped in his 27-year career.

"Lindsey could be one of the better witnesses," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Vaden told the Chronicle about Lindsey's status as a "reliable" witness in drunk driving cases. "I knew he had some disciplinary issues in the past, but it never to my knowledge posed any problems with him testifying."

In September 2002, for example, a man accused of jaywalking says Lindsey threatened to kill him during an argument over the ticket. Another officer broke up the altercation. In 1990 Lindsey was caught submitting fraudulent overtime payment requests, a third-degree felony for which he received a 15-day suspension.

OFFICER'S SUSPENSIONS

October 1983: One day for shopping while on duty and not following department policy in disposing of narcotics evidence.

September 1987: One day for failing to respond to the dispatcher for over an hour.

April 1990: Fifteen days for filing false overtime records.

November 1991: Ten days. While he was chasing suspects who were fleeing, Lindsey discharged his firearm, striking one of the suspects in the leg.

June 1995: Five days. Failed to fill out an incident report for a vehicular accident.

April 1999: One day for dragging a handcuffed DWI suspect into a videotaping room.

January 2001: Two days for refusing to appear in court after being ordered to do so over the phone by a judge.

January 2002: One day. Failed to be available for duty.

February 2002: Two days. Failed to complete an incident report while working an extra security job.