ST. LOUIS 鈥 The city sheriff鈥檚 office needs better controls and procedures for storage of seized property used as evidence in pending or completed court cases, state Auditor Nicole Galloway says.
In an audit report issued Tuesday, Galloway said 10 of 50 evidence items checked either couldn鈥檛 be located in the department鈥檚 property room or the location cited in databases didn鈥檛 correspond to the actual location.
鈥淎s a result, for the items tested, there is no assurance that the evidence received is accurately accounted for and maintained,鈥 the audit said.
While the audit said office personnel later found the missing items or provided documentation showing items had been destroyed by court order, Galloway said improvements are needed.
鈥淐onsidering the often sensitive nature of seized property, adequate internal controls are essential and would significantly reduce the risk of loss, theft or misuse of the property,鈥 the audit stated.
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Sheriff Vernon Betts, in a response included in the audit, said the office will create a process for performing timely physical inventories and will take other steps.
While giving Betts鈥 office an overall rating of 鈥済ood,鈥 Galloway also had some other criticisms. Among them: The office doesn鈥檛 have adequate procedures to follow up on court confirmation hearings that haven鈥檛 been held on property sold at sheriff鈥檚 auctions because of unpaid taxes.
Betts said the office will work with the city Land Reutilization Authority to determine possible solutions.
