U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

 Community Oriented Policing Services

Grants to the New Brunswick, New Jersey Police Department

Grant Numbers 95-CF-WX-2436 (FAST/UHP), 96-CM-WX-0180 (MORE 95),

97-CM-WX-1165 (MORE 96)

Report Number GR-70-98-020

SEPTEMBER 1998

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Office of the Inspector General, Audit Division, has completed an audit of grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), to the New Brunswick, New Jersey Police Department (New Brunswick). New Brunswick was awarded a total of $546,550 in COPS grants to hire 6 sworn officers and redeploy 4.4 full-time-equivalent (FTE) sworn officers to community policing.

Our audit revealed the following:

• Under MORE 95, New Brunswick spent about $196,000 in federal funds and local matching funds for computer equipment; however, about 66 percent of those expenditures were for items not included in New Brunswick’s approved MORE 95 grant budget. As a result, we question $47,388, or 66 percent, of the $71,800 that New Brunswick received as reimbursement.

• New Brunswick officials said that they do not intend to hire three officers with funds available under a UHP grant. Therefore, we recommend that COPS deobligate the $225,000 and put the funds to a better use.

• New Brunswick officials did not have a retention plan or any other documentation to support their plans to retain their grant-funded officers. Therefore, we recommend that COPS withhold the remaining $23,104 in grant funds until New Brunswick submits a retention plan.

• New Brunswick did not always submit timely and accurate monitoring reports.

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