Accountability in government often comes down to getting the everyday details right. The attention to the nitty-gritty is exactly what’s missing in how Montpelier manages the number of hours state troopers work.

Gov. Peter Shumlin has launched an investigation into the accuracy of time cards after a state trooper resigned over allegations he put in for hours he never worked. Former Sgt. Jim Deeghan pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of false claims.

No one in state government apparently asked questions even though Deeghan put in for 374 hours during four weeks in June.

The problem came to light after the Free Press simply asked for the list of the top-paid state employees. When a state police sergeant’s name was sixth from the top, the reporter asked why.

Leave aside, for the moment, any questions about if laws were broken. That’s for the courts to decide. There’s plenty wrong with this picture without having to go there.

If a state employee is regularly doubling his hours, someone — starting with his immediate supervisor — should ask questions about why, then do something about it.

The person in question is a trooper, a law enforcement officer who can be called upon to make split-second decisions.

Would any conscientious supervisor place such a responsibility in the hands of someone who regularly works 16 hours a day?

This is how serious mistakes in the field happen. Working that many hours a day is unhealthy and unsafe for troopers, their co-workers and the people they serve.

There are some things Montpelier can learn from a business forced to account for every dollar spent.

If things don’t add up, if there’s an unusual drop or increase in numbers, the prudent thing is find out why. It’s a simple matter of tending to the everyday occurrences of operations.

Even with nominal oversight, 374 hours over four weeks should have set off bells.

But there’s more to be concerned here than an overworked trooper’s health. Court papers say Deeghan was paid $3,023 in June for overtime he claimed but never worked.

Gov. Shumlin says he believes this is an isolated case, but he has no way of knowing until his administration completes its investigation.

“Was it a system problem, or was it a personnel problem?” Shumlin said at a recent news conference.

The problem was insufficient oversight and inadequate safeguards.

— Burlington (Vt.) Free Press