John's Place: $14 Million Town of Oro Valley Police Budget “Aint” Enough!

We think there's a new credo in Oro Valley finances. Its called: "No dollar goes unspent."

Here's another source of funds, one that is called "Anti-Racketeering Funds (State and Federal)" for The Oro Valley Police Department to drain.

Federal Guidelines and Arizona Revised Statutes strictly regulate the use of Anti-Racketeering funds (a.k.a. asset forfeiture or seizure funds). Seizure funds may be utilized to fund departmental “necessities” that are not funded through the approved Town Budget.

In the April 9, 2014 Oro Valley Council Budget Study Session Police Chief Danny Sharp stated that there was $209,000 Anti-Racketing Funds (a.k.a. asset forfeiture or seizure funds) available to “backfill” three officers on task force assignments.

On April 23, 2014, Lt. Chris Olson, Oro Valley Police, was quoted in an article “Oro Valley Police Switch to Victory Motorcycles” This, from an article in the local advertising circular: “Olson said the first annual payment for the GOHS bike and the $3000-per-motorcycle warranties for all the bikes would not come out of the town’s general fund, but rather would be paid for through asset forfeiture funds (a.k.a. seizure funds)”.

It sounds like Chief Sharp and Lt. Olson have found some “necessities” for the Police Department to be able to use the asset forfeiture or seizure funds that the town could not fund.

This is the "no dollar gets unspent" program.

One small note! Seizure funds can be used with the approval of the Pima County Attorney’s Office. There was a change in the law that says the Use of Seizure Funds may have to be paid back if the case concerning the Seized Funds is dismissed. This might take months or years to be resolved and should be shown as a potential liability to be paid back.

When is enough, enough?

What do you think?

If anyone wants to learn more about “seizure funds” there is an article that explains what they are and how seizure funds are gathered.
---