State audit: Cleveland County Sheriff's Office overspent by millions
NORMAN — The Cleveland County Sheriff's Office overspent its annual budget by about $4 million, a report from the state auditor has revealed.
The long-awaited report, the second part of a special audit requested last year into Sheriff Chris Amason's office, shows that the law enforcement agency did not take steps to stay within the limits of the approved $18.4 million budget, according to the audit.
The audit also showed that during the course of a year, sheriff's leadership attended 24 out-of-state training conferences, bought or leased 40 new vehicles, gave retroactive raises to 28 employees, and used taxpayer funds on "high-end meals, games, and DoorDash service," according to the report. This was despite payroll challenges and cuts to detention staff by 45%, as detailed in the audit.
"The goal of the State Auditor and Inspector is to promote accountability and fiscal integrity in state and localgovernment," said State Auditor Cindy Byrd in a letter to Cleveland County commissioners the day the audit was released. "Maintaining our independence as we provide this service to the taxpayers of Oklahoma is ofutmost importance. We wish to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for the assistance and cooperation extended to our office during this engagement."
In a news release, Storme Jones, director of communications for Cleveland County, said that budget board members would carefully review the report and determine what steps to take next in the coming days.
Amason, in a statement posted to his office's Facebook page, said he appreciated Byrd's work "in producing a thorough and well-documented report" that he believes "affirms what we've long maintained — facts matter."
"This balanced assessment brings needed clarity and allows us to close the door on speculation," Amason continued. "We welcome oversight from the State Auditor, because we stand on solid ground. Transparency isn't a challenge to this office — it's a standard we live by. The findings offer valuable clarity about the circumstances and decisions made, and I welcome the opportunity this report provides to reinforce public trust and move forward with purpose."
The audit comes after nearly two years of tension between county commissioners and the sheriff, who publicly disagreed on who was to blame for overspending after commissioners diverted $3.2 million to the sheriff's office in June 2024 in order to pay outstanding bills, payroll and other operational expenses.
(This story has been updated to add new information.)
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Cleveland County OK sheriff overspent budget by $4 million, audit finds
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