Lamb intends to follow Jail Enhancement Fund guidelines
by Jake Kincaid | Casa Grande Dispatch
Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb said that under his administration, the Jail Enhancement Fund (JEF) money received by the county will be used for its its intended purpose: jail enhancement.
According to a report from the Pinal County Internal Audit Committee, the misuse of the Jail Enhancement Fund goes back to 2013 and totals over $2 million. The fund is paid out by the state, and guidelines recommend that at least 25 percent of the jail enhancement funds should be used to ensure adequate training of personnel and that the remaining funds should be used to enhance county jail facilities and operations. The audit shows that the funds were not used to pay for jail enhancement.
Former Sheriff Paul Babeu used the funds primarily to pay for new employees, including a grant administrator, a deputy chief administrator, two evidence technicians and two administrative assistants, positions not directly related to jail operations.
