DA Office Leading Inventory Of Livingston Police Department

Livingston Mayor Curtis Hayes said the city will follow District Attorney Bryant Dunaway’s call for an outside group to conduct an inventory of the police department.

“Captain Smith has been working with the DA’s assistant today on doing a full inventory, so this is quickly coming,” Hayes said. “Also, I’ve been in contact with the Comptroller’s Office.

Hayes said the city met with the Comptroller’s Office for several hours last week. Hayes said he has also consulted with a MTAS Police Consultant to make evidence practice changes within the department.

“There were some amendments added to the policies and procedures that was recommended by MTAS,” Hayes said. “Those are some of the things that we are doing, and all the parties are happy with the direction we are already approaching sense the events and the investigation was complete.”

The Comptroller’s Office found at least $27,000 missing from the department as well as several issues with evidence procedures in a report released last week. In a letter to Hayes and the Livingston Board of Aldermen, Dunaway called the situation “an awful circumstance” that the city must correct immediately.

Etheredge was late to report the missing money in March of last year. Two investigation were conducted over the 15 month time period by the Comptroller’s Office and TBI. Attorney John Meadows shared the reports to the city Monday.

Meadows said Dunaway indicated that he was confident a theft was committed, but the office cannot determine a suspect due to the lack oversight and mismanagement.