Mooresville's Town Manager recommends that the Cops for Kids program run by the former police chief be dissolved. Town Manager Steve Husemann also says the SBI's 10-month investigation into the charitable program "may be coming to a close."
While Husemann said he cannot share reports until the SBI is finished, he did say the probe will show
"There is no indication of wrong doing by anyone currently employed by the Town of Mooresville."
Husemann's comments were made during this week's town board meeting, with additional information released to the Tribune on Wednesday. Husemann told commissioners the update on Cops for Kids (CFK) was prepared at the request of Commissioner Miles Atkins and "is not the result of any new information."
"I just felt like an update was warranted," Atkins said of his request. He added that the town's private investigations concluded in January, but commissioners have not been allowed to look at those reports due to requests by the SBI.
"We paid for them. We should at least know something," said Atkins.
The SBI has not set a date for completion, but all findings will be turned over to the district attorney, who will determine if any action needs to be taken, Husemann said. He said he expects no impact on the town.
But the manager did say the town will make changes to ensure that problems that arose in its involvement with CFK don't occur with other charitable organizations. Husemann says those relationships, especially when they include sharing funds, need to be clearly defined.
Town employees were often involved in fund raising events and activities, even out of town trips, while assisting CFK with its mission of helping police officers connect with disadvantaged youth.
"It is not surprising residents have trouble separating Cops for Kids from the town," Husemann wrote in his report, describing "too much inter-relationship between the organizations."
As a first step, Husemann recommends authorizing the Secretary of State to dissolve the CFK Corporation with proceeds transferred according to state laws.
With no access to CFK's current financial records, Husemann can't give a total of CFK's holdings, but he does say, "The money is in a checking account and not benefitting anyone at this time."
A second step the town will take is to create a system of checks and balances between the chief of police and town manager when using Federal Drug Asset Forfeiture Funds, Husemann said. This is money recovered from criminal activities that is turned over to towns after prosecution is complete.
In the past, the chief of police supervised the fund, but in the future expenditures will also need to be approved by the town manager.
Former Police Chief John Crone is accused of improperly using $4,862 in forfeiture funds to purchase plane tickets for a youth trip to New York. He was fired in August, a month after being suspended with pay amid an investigation into his management of the Cops for Kids program and an unrelated lawsuit filed by a former employee.
Crone has appealed his termination. No decision has been made yet on his appeal.
Despite the tainted history of CFK and the recommendation for its dissolution, the goals of the organization are ones the town still values, Atkins said.
"I hope there will be other opportunities where the police department and the town can work with youth to build a greater rapport," he said.
Husemann agreed. "Positive events should not be discarded in an effort to purge difficult financial arrangements," he said, adding that what is needed is proper oversight of those activities.
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