TROY - Veteran Detective Aaron Collington, the former president of the city police union, is accused of stealing $6,200 from the union's banking account to pay his rent, documents filed in Troy City Court show.

Collington, 48, is charged with third-degree grand larceny. He was arraigned in City Court Wednesday morning and released on his own recognizance.

Statements filed by State Police investigators accuse Collington of taking the money from the Troy Police Benevolent Association's bank account and depositing it in his own account at SEFCU.

Investigators allege he then used the money to pay his rent for a house he rented in Nassau. Collington’s landlord told investigators the money paid for three months back rent for June, July and August, the upcoming September rent and late fees.

State Police at Clifton Park investigated the alleged theft after the PBA filed a complaint.

“The Troy PBA had filed a complaint against (Collington) with the NYS police after learning of a discrepancy with what our expenses were for the month of August and what our union fund balance actually displayed,” Officer Nick Laviano, current union president, said in a statement.

“The PBA is fully cooperating with the State Police in this investigation and we thank them for their support and their professionalism throughout this tough ordeal,” Laviano said.said

John Salka, a spokesman for Mayor Patrick Madden, said the city does not comment on personnel matters, "and will not be commenting further at this time.”

Collington was the president of the PBA for about a year before resigning in September. At the time, Collington said he had no comment on his resignation. The union represents the city's police officers and sergeants.

Collington who has been a police officer for 19 years, will face administrative action, according to a department spokesman. Generally, when a city police officer is arraigned on criminal charges the officer is suspended without pay for 30 days. Collington most recently earned a salary of $79,926, according to the Seethroughny.net website.

The case has been transferred to Rensselaer County Court from city court, said Joseph Ahearn, the defense attorney retained by Collington.

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“Aaron is a long-time, well respected public servant in the city of Troy. We’re just beginning to investigate,” Ahearn said.

The PBA first learned of possible misuse of union funds by Collington in January, according to depositions filed in the criminal case. At that time, the PBA learned that $761.06 was charged on a PBA card by Collington to pay New York Boot Tow Release to have a locking boot device removed from his car. Such devices are used to immobilize vehicles owned by parking ticket scofflaws.

“Aaron advised it was an emergency use of the PBA card and he will correct the issue immediately. A few days later Aaron reimbursed the account in full. Aaron was advised at that point that this was against the PBA By-Laws and a mishandling of funds. Aaron advised he would not do it again,” according to the witness statement given to State Police investigators by Officer Steven Barker, PBA treasurer.

Then in August when the PBA was transferring $149,882.57 in funds from Trustco to SEFCU, it learned that only $143,682.57 was placed in the account, according to Barker’s deposition. Trustco provided a copy of a withdrawal slip for $6,200 in cash, according to Barker. An emergency PBA board meeting was called to discuss the matter with Collington.

“As part of that meeting the entire board addressed Aaron in regards to the missing $6,200 from the account. It appeared that Aaron had knowledge of the missing money but said it would be returned in the morning,” Barker said in his statement.

The PBA board voted unanimously to prosecute the case.