VINCENNES, Ind. (WTHI) - According to the report $31,957 disappeared from the evidence vault. This was discovered when a court ordered the money to be returned. Then-police chief Dusty Luking reported this missing money to the state police. That's when the FBI got involved.
According to the report, four staff members had access to the vault. However, a spare key to the vault was found unsecured.
Current police chief Robert Dunham says they have completely revamped how those funds are now handled.
Dunham says, "We've incorporated cameras on all vaults. We did a one hundred percent, hands-on inventory of all items in the vault. Once that was completed we started a computer system where everything is controlled by barcode and it does its own monthly inventory."
The investigation says Luking misused school resource officer funding. Funds that were supposed to go into the general fund for salaries were instead put into the police department donation fund. According to the report, money from the donation fund was then used to purchase items such as a pickup truck and new police gear.
The report also found that Luking had purchased a laptop that was being used by a family member.
Dunham says the corrections of those issues are simple.
Dunham explains, "I'm here. I control the budget. I control the funds coming in. I control what we spend our money on. If I don't know I call the clerk treasurer's office. Because they're the experts on how we spend the money of the government."
Dunham says the state board of accounts has accepted the department's changes.
Dunham says, "You've got to be here and you've got to be involved. That's the main thing."
