DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A federal audit found the DeKalb County Police Department was awarded millions of dollars in federal grant money after submitting inflated crime statistics.
The audit by the Office of the Inspector General with the U.S. Department of Justice, found that if the crime numbers had been reported accurately, the DeKalb County Police Department would not have received some of funds.
The funds were used to hire sworn officers and fund a COPS Child Sexual Predator Program.
"As a result, we questioned the $2,329,659," according to the report.
The trouble derives from 2008 crime statistics submitted for a Community Oriented Policing Services Grant with the U.S. Department of Justice.
According to the audit, DeKalb County submitted incorrect crime data for every crime distinction, over reporting in every category.
The most egregious example in the grant application DeKalb County police submitted, in 2008, the county had more than 11,000 aggravated assaults. Investigators with the federal audit team found that the real number was closer to 1,000.
The audit says that the Memphis Police Department would have qualified for the funds, instead of DeKalb County and would have been fully funded for 50 officers instead of 37.
"We are pleased to inform you that each of the recommendations in the report has already been addressed by the adoption measures to further ensure mistakes are not repeated," said Interim Chief of Police James Conroy in his response to the draft audit.
"It is important to note that this error was a genuine mistake," Conroy wrote.
"The County did not have adequate supporting data for the aggravated assaults listed in the application. The County has thoroughly researched the discrepancy and identified the error and its apparent cause. The statistics for aggravated assaults in 2008 were calculated with the inclusion of the simple assaults," Conroy wrote.
"There were some administrative errors in filling out that form," said DeKalb County Commissioner Kathie Gannon.
Gannon said the person who made the mistake no longer works with the department and was employed under former Chief Terrell Bolton.
Bolton was pushed out amid accusation of insubordination and misuse of county property. Bolton says he knew nothing about the audit.
"Everything related to DeKalb County need to be punted right back at them," Bolton told Channel 2's Rachel Stockman. "If anyone in DeKalb County points the finger on me and they are not factual, I will sue DeKalb County."
"They (DOJ) are working with our department to make sure that kind of mistake doesn't happen again," Gannon said.
WSBTV
