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County audit finds bonding process burdens lieutenants; sheriff agrees to staffing and controls review
Summary
A performance audit found the sheriff's bonding process consumes significant lieutenant time and lacks segregation of cash‑handling duties; Sheriff Byron Roberson agreed with recommendations and said he will pursue staffing adjustments and explore transferring cash handling to the court.
A county performance audit presented to the board found that Johnson County Sheriff's Office bonding duties have historically been assigned to shift commanders (lieutenants), consuming 30–45% of their time and reducing their availability for supervisory duties, and that cash‑handling practices do not fully comply with county financial controls.
County Auditor Doug Jones said auditors recommend assigning bonding process duties to line personnel or sergeants to improve efficiency and segregate cash handling so that shift commanders do not simultaneously perform acceptance, counting and safekeeping duties. The audit found the sheriff's current process includes counting cash, issuing receipts, placing sealed envelopes in a safe accessible only to shift commanders, and lacking a second independent cash verification step consistent with county policy.
Sheriff Byron Roberson told the board he recognizes the issues and the liability involved in releasing detainees: "I don't like doing the money...Every other agency in the state, that is done by the court." He said lieutenants were used because of liability and familiarity with the Odyssey jail system and that the office will pursue adding staff (FTEs) to allow appropriate personnel to manage the bonding process and relieve lieutenants for supervisory duties.
Commissioners asked about updating risk and vulnerability assessments and oversight; the auditor confirmed the audit grew out of prior discussions about risk. The board thanked the auditor and sheriff for the collaborative presentation; the sheriff agreed to pursue both staffing and internal control changes.
