A review of credit card records has found that high-level officials within the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office routinely made charges that violated office policy.
The Arizona Republic's review shows the officials would receive subsequent approval for credit card purchases so they didn't have to reimburse the sheriff's office, while lower-level employees were required to reimburse the office for purchases that were not approved.
The newspaper reports that until recently, about 820 sheriff's employees and volunteer posse members had access to county credit cards.
The sheriff's chief financial officer, Loretta Barkell, says she was pressured by Chief Deputy David Hendershott to approve charges that were not pre-approved as required by the policy.
Hendershott disputes Barkell's claims and says to his knowledge there has been no inappropriate use.
samkat posted at 6:58 pm on Mon, Aug 9, 2010.
The Trib obviously is not running the latest expose which identifies how much the County Board of Supervisors have squandered on nonsensical items of taxpayer money. Topping the list were Don Stapley and Mary Rose Wilcox.