Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Procurement Unauthorized Sheriff topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves payment of $50,913 to vendor after unauthorized procurement for sheriff’s law enforcement manuals
Summary
The Board approved payment of $50,913.03 to Lexpol PO to settle an outstanding invoice after procurement staff said goods and services were delivered without a purchase order; procurement described new controls including Workday invoice submission and additional contract administrators.
The Board of Estimates approved payment on Feb. 19 for an unauthorized procurement covering annual law enforcement policy manuals, training bulletins and supplemental publications supplied to the sheriff’s office.
Adam Anyanwu (procurement officer) told the board the city received the goods and services but no purchase order was in place; the invoice was sent to an outdated email address of a former employee. “This just looks like it was human error,” the procurement officer said, and requested permission to move forward with the payment to Lexpol PO in the amount of $50,913.03 to cover services delivered July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.
Board members raised oversight questions in light of recent inspector general reporting about sheriff’s office payroll practices. Procurement staff described steps to reduce the risk of future unauthorized procurements, including requiring invoice submission through Workday and hiring a contract administrator and additional procurement officers as part of a transformation initiative.
Octavia Smith, Chief Financial Officer, Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office, told the board the original invoice recipient had left the office and the item was not processed in time; the sheriff’s office said it has implemented procedures to prevent similar occurrences.
The board approved payment by voice vote.
