The Audit Committee accepted the final report AU-24-033 on March 28 after a presentation that found inconsistent inventory controls for protective equipment across police units and identified expired items that lacked tracking.

Auditor Abril Estévez presented the findings. “Nuestro objetivo fue determinar el inventario del del del equipo de protección de del cuerpo de policía para proporcionar el contexto,” she said. Estévez said the audit reviewed 17 types of equipment across units and found that, while purchasing controls were sufficient, inventories and processes for tracking expirations were inconsistent and needed development.

The report recommended a consistent, documented inventory process that includes a tracking system, periodic reviews that record manufacturer expiration dates and documented physical inventories. Estévez added the audit identified expired equipment that was not in use and recommended corrective-action plans; the audit team anticipated those actions would be completed in May 2025.

A police representative told the committee the department has implemented a plan for inventories that will occur twice yearly and that command-level reviews will be conducted annually to ensure expiring items are identified and replaced before they expire. In explaining disposal and reuse practices for ballistic and other specialized equipment, the police representative said, “Cuando se trata de balísticas, no, no es algo que nosotros podamos proporcionar a otras agencias. Pero se desecha con las mejores prácticas o más frecuentemente se se hace la transición para los entrenamientos.”

Committee members thanked staff and sought clarification on timing and disposal procedures. Councilmember College asked about warranty and life-span practices for ballistic and protective items; a police representative said items often can be repurposed for training if they are out of warranty but still functional and confirmed that truly expired ballistic equipment is disposed of using secure methods.

The committee approved acceptance of AU-24-033 by voice vote. The police department and the Office of the City Auditor will track corrective actions and return with updates as described in the report.