(Mountain Xpress) Tonight, July 24, Asheville City Council heard the first public report on the Asheville Police Department evidence room, revealing a state of deep disarray. Mayor Terry Bellamy called the situation “appalling,” and the auditors estimated it will take at least two years to sort out.
Last year, shortly after news emerged that guns, drugs, and money were missing from the APD evidence room, Council approved paying $175,000 to Blueline Systems & Services for an independent audit. That audit was completed in January, but District Attorney Ron Moore has withheld the results, stating that there are ongoing investigations related to the case.
What the company found, Blueline’s Mike Wright reported at the July 24 meeting, was a mess. Items were on the floor, blocking doorways and overflowing from the shelves, while evidence that was supposed to be disposed of wasn’t. Auditors also located several boxes of cash that were designated “school fund.” There’s no apparent paperwork for the cash. and the auditors couldn’t determine its legal status.
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