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GREENSBORO - The veteran Greensboro police officer charged with embezzling funds from a city non-profit program withdrew $8,000 from a city account and deposited it into his own account, according to a search warrant.

Sgt. David A. Moore, who has coordinated the city's long-running "Safety Town" program for more than six years, was arrested at his Climax home Monday by the SBI and Greensboro police detectives.

The search warrant also states that deposits made by Moore into the account were lower than they should have been.

Moore, 45, is charged with embezzling more than $21,000 from the nonprofit and using it for himself.

Moore, a 22-year veteran of the department, did not return a phone call Tuesday. No one answered the door at his home Tuesday morning.

"The investigation started in early August when some suspicions were brought to Internal Affairs by police officers," said Capt. Gary Hastings of the department's Criminal Investigation Division. "Suspicions centered on Moore early on because he was the one in charge of the account."

The account was also used to make unauthorized purchases of electronic equipment, although the search warrant does not state whether Moore made those purchases.

Hastings said Monday the ensuing investigation, handled by Greensboro police detectives, turned up purchases of consumer electronics such as Apple iPods and other high-dollar items. Hastings said it appears Moore, whose annual salary is $64,238, paid for the items through checks drawn on the account and a debit card connected to it.

According to the search warrant, investigators were looking for receipts in Moore's home tied to purchases, including those from Costco, Wal-Mart, Office Depot, Circuit City, Best Buy, Sam's Club, Golden Corral, EB Games and GameStop.

Hastings said the embezzlement seems to go back to at least 2005 and could have begun earlier. The arrest warrant states the embezzlement stretches from May 2004 to July 2007.

It was only after Moore was reassigned and the account was handed to someone else that suspicions arose.

"It's too early in the investigation to know whether this money is the extent of it or if others were involved," Hastings said. "The investigation has centered on him to this point, but we are not ruling anything out."

According to the search warrant, the account was moved from SunTrust Bank to the Greensboro Municipal Credit Union just prior to Moore's reassignment. The change in banks meant an audit was required and all receipts and invoices were to be turned in by Moore.

Moore has failed to produce them, according to the search warrant.

The new officer in charge of the account had been working with the account for the past two years and was able to verify which purchases were legitimate and which were not, the warrant stated. Many of the purchases and withdrawals were made when the program was not in session and when the account should not have been used.

Some of the purchases were made at Costco, including two iPods and other iPod accessories, a GPS device and food purchases.

Included in the items seized by investigators from Moore's home were two iPods, a digital camera, a GPS device and a laptop computer. Financial documents were also seized.

Moore was booked into the Guilford County Jail under $10,000 bond and was released Monday evening. He is due in District Court on Oct. 10.

City Manager Mitch Johnson said Monday he became aware of the investigation last week when he was briefed by police Chief Tim Bellamy.

"I know there has been an ongoing investigation, and they're doing what they feel they need to do to take care of it," Johnson said late Monday.

Safety Town teaches young children traffic and home safety.

The annual program attracts hundreds of children between the ages of 5 and 6.

The program does not use taxpayer dollars but depends on donations.

Johnson said Safety Town teaches kids trust in police officers.

"Two of my kids have gone through that program," Johnson said. "It's often kids' first introduction to officers and a lot of important issues. It's a shame to see something like this."

Hastings said abuse of a non-profit program by police does strike at the integrity of the department - but that's not all people should take from the arrest.

"It's a very big integrity issue, but people should remember that honest police officers came forward with information on this," he said. "Honest police officers made this investigation and honest police officers arrested him."

Contact Joe Killian at 373-7023 or jkillian@news-record.com

Contact Amy Dominello at 373-7091 or adominello@news-record.com