JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway Monday released an audit of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office located in northeast Missouri. The audit came at the request of the county commission after the resignation of the former sheriff, Robert M. Becker, who stepped down after pleading guilty in December 2018 to misdemeanor counts of domestic assault and sexual abuse.
“The Commission requested this audit because they wanted to ensure an independent review of the operations and finances of the office under the former sheriff,” Auditor Galloway said. “We found several areas that could be improved, and I appreciate the current sheriff’s willingness to implement our recommendations.”
The report found that the former sheriff had received a Local Law Enforcement Block Grant for $3,719 from the Missouri Department of Public Safety for the purchase of safety equipment. Because the former sheriff failed to spend these funds on the safety equipment, body armor and medical kits approved for purchase in the grant budget, the current sheriff must now return the money.
The audit also recommended the sheriff better segregate accounting duties or ensure that documented reviews of detailed accounting and bank records are performed. Additionally, the report recommended improvement to the office’s monthly bank reconciliation procedures.
The full report of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, which received an overall rating of good, can be found here.
