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Council approves chief’s attendance at IACP conference; chief says DOJ asset‑forfeiture funds will cover trip
Summary
The council voted to authorize the chief of the Department of Public Safety to attend the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Denver. The chief told the council the trip would be paid from a Department of Justice asset‑forfeiture account, not the city’s general fund.
The Mount Vernon City Council on Wednesday approved an ordinance authorizing the chief of the Department of Public Safety to attend the 2025 International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) conference in Denver, Colorado, scheduled for Oct. 18–21, 2025.
During council comment, members sought clarification after a memo from the comptroller urged that only necessary spending proceed. The chief, who appeared remotely, said the training would be funded from the U.S. Department of Justice asset‑forfeiture program and would not use the city’s general fund. "The funding is from the U.S. Department of Justice asset forfeiture program. It would not cost the city any money," the chief said, adding that the funds are kept in a separate account and are restricted by state law for police‑related uses.
The chief also said attending the conference allows him to meet peers from other jurisdictions and to learn approaches to problems Mount Vernon also faces. Council members who initially questioned the trip said they were satisfied that the source of funds would not affect the city's operating cash flow, and the ordinance passed on a voice roll call.
The council did not discuss registration deadlines in detail beyond a comment that earlier registration helps secure travel arrangements. The council did not attach conditions to the authorization beyond standard departmental and budgetary procedures.
