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Hope Mills approves two police budget amendments including $26,750 from asset forfeiture funds
Summary
The board approved Budget Amendment #16 ($26,750) to cover police training, K9-related items and equipment using asset forfeiture and grant funds, and later approved Budget Amendment #17 ($40,425) related to an ongoing server/IT project; chief and staff described eligible uses and said forfeiture funds have been used to buy equipment and save operating dollars.
The Hope Mills Board of Commissioners on Jan. 5 approved two police-related budget amendments, including use of asset forfeiture funds for training and equipment and an installment payment for an IT project.
Budget Amendment #16: Staff presented a $26,750 amendment to cover training equipment, K9-related expenditures and other items; funding sources listed in the item included asset forfeiture funds, League of Municipalities grant funds and registration fees. Police Chief Dinger and staff explained the department uses forfeiture funds for law-enforcement-related purchases and noted previous purchases saved roughly $200,000 in operating-budget requests over recent years.
During discussion, commissioners questioned permissible uses and travel/expense treatments. Chief Dinger responded that the department follows the appropriate federal/local guidance for equitable sharing and that speaker travel in a separate training item had been covered for invited presenters, not department travel. After questions and a motion, the board approved the amendment by voice vote with no roll-call tally recorded.
Budget Amendment #17: The board also approved a $40,425 amendment tied to an earlier-approved IT/server project (the total project was previously authorized at $297,000 and is being invoiced in installments). Staff clarified this invoice is part of that multi-installment project and the board approved Resolution R20226-001 along with the amendment.
What it means: Staff said using forfeiture funds and outside grant awards has allowed the department to obtain equipment and training without increasing taxes. The chief told the board the department will continue to follow procurement and reporting rules for those funds.
