But he criticizes two elected officials for allowing this audit to go forward.
Frederick, Md (KM) He say he’s taking a victory lap following the release of an audit of the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office’s participation in the 287g program. “One year later, $20,000 of your tax money later, it’s a victory for the Sheriff’s Office,” says Sheriff Chuck Jenkins, who was a guest recently on WFMD’s “Morning News Express.”
The 287g is a federal program from the Department of Homeland Security which allows correctional officers to determine the immigration status of suspects arrested by deputies and brought to the Detention Center for processing. If they’re here illegally, they could be turned over to Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement, and can be deported.
The audit says there were incremental costs related to training, such as travel expenses, use of county vehicles, gasoline, meals and lodging for correctional officers. The report said under one scenario, the costs were $9.000; under another, the costs were $21,000. “The $9,000 figure is the actual incremental cost of the program in County dollars,” says Jenkins. “So that’s staff time for training, mileage to and from training, vehicle costs, and other costs, minor costs that really don’t amount to much of anything.”
Even though the report was favorable, Sheriff Jenkins criticized elected officials for allowing the audit to take place. He identified County Executive Jan Gardner and Council President MC Keegan-Ayer for giving in to a “small vocal minority” who don’t want the Sheriff’s Office taking part in this program, and don’t like Sheriff Jenkins. . “The other elected officials in this county, the Council President Keegan-Ayer, Jan Gardner, the County Executive, knew in their hearts that wasn’t going on. Better than anything, they knew. They watched my budget. They approved my budget. They know what the dollars are. They didn’t have the political guts to stand up beside me and say ‘this wasn’t necessary.'” he says.
County Executive Gardner ordered the audit of the Sheriff’s Office’s participation the 287g program.
WFMD News has reached out to the County Executive for a response.
“So they listened to the small vocal minority and spent $20,000 your tax money to perform an audit that came out better then I could have imagined,” Jenkins concluded.
By Kevin McManus