Investigation discovers ‘questionable’ cash-handling at JPD
JACKSON, Tenn. — The City of Jackson’s annual financial report for Fiscal Year 21 contains a few constructive suggestions for the years to come.
There are five items on the list that suggest modification or improvements for the given area.
One of the findings in the report was that the City of Jackson incorrectly included the estimated pensions payments by over $300,000.
The report says the city needs to adjust their expenditures in this area going forward.
The report mentions missteps in Solid Waste Management, employee fuel reporting, and more.
It also brings into question the handling of cash within the Jackson-Madison County Metro Narcotics Unit.
An investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office is focusing on a how a Jackson police captain mishandled confiscated cash.
The report states that the captain used a safe located at the department to temporarily store funds in her custody until she could make a deposit in the city’s bank account.
The state says these funds needed to be deposited into the city’s bank account within three business days.
On March 5, nearly $400,000 was inside of the safe. Some of this money was in the captain’s custody since July 2019, having not been deposited for almost 700 days.
Investigators identified inconsistencies surrounding a total of a little over $15,000 in seized money, settlement proceeds and multiple payments.
There is a reported $6,639 missing. Documentation shows that the captain was the last person to oversee these funds.
A day after meeting with investigators, the captain found just over a thousand dollars, saying she found it in the JPD safe laying under paperwork.
She also found and deposited money and money orders after March 5, 2021 safe inventory that totaled $7,300.
According to the report, the captain says that she didn’t steal, borrow, or put back any money.
The report says she says she turned in every penny that she has ever collected.
The results of the investigation have been turned over to the District Attorney’s Office.
WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News reached out to city officials, and they will be discussing and breaking down the audit at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 5 at this month’s city council meeting.
JPD released a statement on the matter Friday afternoon. You can read it here.
You can read the report from the Comptroller’s Office here.
You can find the FY 2021 report here.
Find more local news here.
