A Beaverton police lieutenant was cited last month in connection with shoplifting a $7.99 personal lubricant while off duty at a Hillsboro Safeway store, the Hillsboro Police Department reported.



On. Nov. 21, Lt. Dean J. Meisner, 53, was cited on an accusation of third-degree theft, said Lt. Mike Rouches, a Hillsboro police spokesman. Rouches said Meisner is a 24-year veteran of the Beaverton Police Department.



On Nov. 2, Safeway loss prevention employees contacted Beaverton police regarding the theft of the lubricant at the store, located at 2525 S.E. Tualatin Valley Highway, Rouches said. A loss prevention employee recognized Meisner, Rouches said, and contacted Beaverton police.



On Nov. 3, Beaverton police contacted Hillsboro police to have the agency take over the investigation, Rouches said. A Hillsboro detective reportedly called Meisner and set up a time for him to come to the police station on Nov. 21.



Meisner, Rouches said, met the detective at the police station, but didn't make a statement. He was cited to appear in court on the third-degree theft charge on Dec. 19 at 8:30 a.m.



Meisner reportedly was not booked into jail. That process, Rouches said, is standard.

"We would do that really for any theft three," Rouches said. "...We try to cite them first...It's common practice to issue a citation for theft three."



Rouches said police don't know why Meisner, who reportedly has no criminal history, stole the item.



"It's kind of an odd situation," Rouches said.



Rouches said police didn't release information about the incident sooner because he didn't know about it.



"Would we release a theft three? No," he said. "Would we release a theft three under these circumstances? Yes."



Meisner is the lieutenant of the criminal investigations division, said Officer Pam Yazzolino, a Beaverton police spokeswoman. He's been on paid leave since Nov. 3, Yazzolino said.



Beaverton police didn't release information about the incident, Yazzolino said, because of Hillsboro's ongoing investigation.



Yazzolino said she couldn't comment on whether Meisner could lose his job, if convicted. An internal investigation, Yazzolino said, will be conducted after the criminal case is resolved.



– Rebecca Woolington; on Twitter

