St. Louis City Comptroller Donna Baringer has released an audit revealing significant financial mismanagement within the sheriff's office. The report states that the office exceeded its budget by $812,666 in the 2025 fiscal year. Part of this overage is linked to the aftermath of Sheriff Alfred Montgomery's office restructuring, which included $491,524 paid to dismissed employees for earned leave balances, according to First Alert 4. The audit also identified expenses of $28,000 on uniforms and badges, $56,191 on a new vehicle, and $11,700 on golf carts.
Additional financial discrepancies were identified, including $747,525 over budget on salaries for regular employees, as well as excess spending on overtime, FICA, and office supplies. A report by St. Louis Public Radio highlighted key issues from the audit, such as inadequate controls over expenditures, improper accounting procedures, payroll management problems, and a lack of segregation of duties in cash handling. The audit warned of significant risks to the sheriff's office financial integrity if immediate corrective actions are not implemented.
The report also details financial practices from former Sheriff Vernon Betts' administration that continued into Sheriff Alfred Montgomery's term, which began in January. Montgomery, who is currently in jail facing federal criminal charges, had previously requested an audit from state Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick but later withdrew the request citing cost concerns. While the sheriff's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment, it acknowledged the comptroller’s findings and stated plans to implement the recommended changes by the next fiscal year in July 2026, as per KSDK.
Comptroller Baringer emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in public service, expressing her commitment to ensuring that city funds are managed responsibly. She told First Alert 4, "The Sheriff's Office audit reinforces the importance of transparency and accountability in every department that manages public funds." Meanwhile, the Missouri attorney general is using the audit’s findings, which highlight resource misuse and financial mismanagement, as part of an effort to remove Montgomery from office through a quo warranto petition.
Retired Judge David Mason, who represents Montgomery in his legal battle with the Missouri Attorney General, noted that part of the financial strain was caused by a large amount of compensatory time approved by former Sheriff Betts.
