The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office run by U.S. Senate candidate Sheriff Mark Lamb has spent at least $217,000 from a jail commissary fund that Arizona lawmakers mandated be used “for the benefit and welfare of inmates” to instead buy a cache of weapons, ammunition and ballistic vests.
The purchases violate state law, criminal justice experts say.
Arizona Luminaria reviewed expenses and revenues from the sheriff’s office inmate welfare fund over a five-year period. From July 2018 to July 2023, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office spent just over $4 million for inmate services. At least $217,000 of that, or about 5.5%, was spent on guns, bullets and vests for the law enforcement agency, according to county budget documents obtained via a public records request.
Over the same five years, the county spent less than $900 on books for people detained in the jail
19 Comments
givesomefucks@lemmy.world · 80 pts · 2y
Sherrifs have been doing shit like this for as long as we've had sherrifs....
It's almost like we need a national agency to hold police accountable or, I dunno, try fucking anything?
aaaaa@kbin.social · 9 pts · 2y
The police unions would start foaming at the mouth.
NovaPrime@lemmy.ml · 28 pts · 2y
Let's hope it's cyanide foam
CmdrShepard@lemmy.one · 3 pts · 2y
It's a bit of rabies foam mixed in with zombie foam.
Bonesince1997@lemmy.ml · 51 pts · 2y
Alright, now give them to the inmates.
rynzcycle@kbin.social · 25 pts · 2y
That's one solution, the other is make the Sheriff (and anyone else involved) an inmate.
SARGEx117@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 2y
I feel like "give them to the inmates" could serve dual purpose here, intentionak or not!
Horsey@kbin.social · 23 pts · 2y
Pima county resident here: Pinal county is pretty much a Trump cesspool of retirees and people who think the world is out to get them. Their county has been on a steady decline as the brain drain moves north to Phoenix. Doesn’t surprise me lmao.
Salamendacious@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 2y
How is his Senate race going from your perspective? Do you think he'll beat Lake?
tsonfeir@lemm.ee · 19 pts · 2y
Arizona has a long history of shitty sheriffs
ThePantser@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 2y
Is it Pie-nal, pee-nal, or pin-al?
Spaghetti_Hitchens@kbin.social · 5 pts · 2y
Pin-al
zzzzz@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 2y
PIN-al or pin-AL?
Cort@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 2y
pi-NAL or p'NAL
technicalogical@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 2y
This is the way...
vanontom@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 2y
Pe-nile, and residents are called Pe-nis. /s
bluejay@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 0 pts · 2y
phoenixz@lemmy.ca · 7 pts · 2y
Make the Sherrod an inmate, as he committed a criminal act. Should be fun for him to see how criminals are treated
toasteecup@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 2y
Well that's one way to ensure their welfare i guess
iHUNTcriminals@lemm.ee · 1 pts · 2y
Fraylor@lemm.ee · 1 pts · 2y
While not surprising unfortunately, you'd be amazed at how many IBF's get used like administrative slush funds. I bet they got some nice upgrades when they appropriated due to COVID.
One thing that I think needs a lot more attention is the victims compensation fund, and how at least in my state inmates skirt ever having to pay anything into it by abusing the indigent system.