Sheriff Department Billing 'Indirect Costs'

Imperial Beach has no police force of its own and contacts law enforcement services through the Sheriff’s Department. The Sheriff’s Department charges the City of Imperial Beach $160,000/month for ‘indirect costs’:

Ancillary Support: $78,486.34.
Supplies: $12,337.39
Vehicles: $37,614.43
Space: $4,712.35
Management Support: $22,635.87.
Liability: $3,830.01

Although a Public Records’ Request will be submitted to request receipts and backup documentation to justify the additional costs; I’m going to assume that the ‘ancillary support’ is referencing cost of the 911 system.

Supplies: $12,337.39. This seems like a lot of supplies, but we’ll get receipts.

Vehicles: $37,614.43. It appears that every month the Citizens of Imperial Beach are purchasing a new vehicle for the Sheriff’s Department.

Space: $4,712.35. I don’t understand why the Sheriff is charging the City for ‘space’. Isn’t the Sheriff’s Substation property of the City?

Management Support: $22,635.87. If this is expense is paying lawyers to ‘advise’ the Sheriff’s Department how to get away with criminal activity, then this charge needs to be removed.

Liability: $3,830.01. Too too often invoices submitted to government agencies are packed with line items that are just made up because the writer of the invoice knows that government agencies are using Taxpayers’ money, so the invoices are paid without any examination.

Imagine contracting with a gardener to pay $100/month for yard work, but the gardener bills you $150/month to pay for any tools he wanted, new truck, ‘space’, etc.