Washington State Auditor finds cracks in Vancouver police's asset management system

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A state audit determined the Vancouver Police Department fails to adequately track assets like guns, safety equipment and body cameras.

The Office of the Washington State Auditor reviewed the City of Vancouver throughout 2023. The watchdog’s investigation was focused on areas that posed the highest risk of “fraud, loss, abuse, or noncompliance,” such as payroll services, the multi-family tax exemption program and the Parks and Recreation Department.

After investigating these areas and more, the auditor found that city leaders only lacked in one: “proper oversight for the tracking and disposition of small and attractive assets in the Police Department.”

Although the VPD staff who track these assets have access to inventory, the state report asserts the agency doesn’t conduct independent reviews to ensure the information is accurate. The review further states the department uses three different systems to monitor inventory, but hasn’t ensured the systems are consistent with one another.

Auditors raised red flags over six firearms that law enforcement identified as missing in 2022. The state office said city officials attempted to find the weapons, including four handguns and two rifles, but were unable to due to a lack of documentation.

According to the City of Vancouver’s statement released on Thursday, those missing items have since been located. During the audit, officials said law enforcement was “already reconciling the department’s firearm inventory and established that the ‘uncounted’ firearms were and continue to be in the possession of their legal owners or another agency.”

The city asserted that four firearms were purchased as gifts for retiring VPD officers, while two were issued to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and could have been added into Vancouver’s system accidentally.

The Washington auditor’s office advised Vancouver leaders to “strengthen internal controls to ensure it adequately safeguards small and attractive assets.” Officials said they have established new procedures since the investigation ended in 2023.

“VPD implemented an updated firearms inventory procedure with the help of the city’s internal auditor,” the City of Vancouver said. “Per the State Auditor’s recommendation, the updated process includes separate individuals managing each system.”

Additionally, a Vancouver spokesperson said there will be two yearly audits of the police department’s inventory. City leaders also plan to track its firearm in an inventory that solely includes VPD’s assets.