U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING SERVICES

GRANTS TO THE STONE PARK, ILLINOIS POLICE DEPARTMENT

Award Numbers 95-CF-WX-4127 and 96-CM-WX-0410

Audit Report Number GR-80-98-015

August 17, 1998

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Office of the Inspector General, Audit Division, has completed an audit of the grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), to the Stone Park, Illinois Police Department (SPPD). The SPPD received grants of $658,098 to hire or rehire six full-time sworn police officers and eight part-time police officers under the Funding Accelerated for Smaller Towns (FAST) and Universal Hiring Programs (UHP). The SPPD also received $100,234 under the Making Officer Redeployment Effective (MORE) program to redeploy four sworn police officer full- time equivalents (FTEs). The purpose of the additional officers is to enhance community policing efforts.

In brief, our audit determined the SPPD:

• Charged to the grants unallowable and unsupported costs of $96,411, of which $55,766 were reimbursed with federal funds.

• Overstated the total budgeted project costs for the FAST and UHP awards by $13,500 and $34,680 respectively.

• Generally was not in compliance with grant reporting requirements.

• Had no written plan to retain the grant funded positions after the grants expire.

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