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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 23, 2024 Contact: Alana Sawchuk, Executive Assistant comptroller@dutchessny.gov (845) 486-2050
Poughkeepsie, N.Y. – Dutchess County Comptroller Gregg Pulver has announced the completion and release of an audit of the Dutchess County District Attorney’s (DA) Office for the period January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2023. The objective of this audit was to provide a full picture of the DA’s financial trends and practices following the retirement of District Attorney William Grady after a 40-year tenure.
The Comptroller’s Office concluded that the District Attorney’s Office had not been utilizing any written Policies and Procedures related to financial administration, specifically in relation to the use of Asset Forfeiture Funds and the department’s use of its Procurement Card (P-Card). The use of $5,000 of asset forfeiture funds in 2022 to support a local youth program does not meet the guidelines set by New York State for the appropriate spending of those funds, which are to be used in association with law enforcement measures and entities. In addition to creating written procedures, the Comptroller’s Office recommended a further diversification of P-Card holders and transaction approvers to improve efficiency and accountability measures.
“District Attorney Parisi and his staff have already begun the process of following the recommendations made by the Comptroller’s Office, and we are confident that the District Attorney’s Office will continue to operate efficiently and appropriately for the benefit of Dutchess County residents,” said Comptroller Pulver.
The full report can be found here.
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