After audit, Patterson police investigate possible misuse of VFD funds

The Patterson Police Department is beginning an investigation into the state legislative auditor’s allegations that a debit card belonging to the Volunteer Fire Department was tapped for more than $14,000 in improper personal purchases and automatic teller machine withdrawals.
The city government’s response to the report links the purchases to the former volunteer fire chief, Scott Domingue.
Domingue said he isn’t yet familiar with the allegations in the audit report. “I’m in the dark myself,” he said.
But, while he said it’s possible mistakes were made, he denied intentional wrongdoing. “Oh God no,” Domingue said.
The audit report said that from January 2016 through August 2019, “an officer of the Patterson Volunteer Fire Department is believed to have made personal purchases and/or ATM withdrawals totaling approximately $14,774 using a debit card linked to a checking account owned by the City’s volunteer fire department.”
More purchases totaling $13,587 have been identified that could not be determined to have been for fire department operations, the report said.
“This officer had sole access and control over the debit card for the volunteer fire department,” the report said. “Additionally, reporting of fire department activities to the membership was very limited.
“Upon discovery, the debit card was seized and frozen and the individual was terminated from his position as an officer of the volunteer fire department. As of the date of the auditor’s report, the investigation into the matter is ongoing and being conducted by officers of the volunteer fire department and the district attorney’s office.”
But Assistant 16th Judicial District Attorney Anthony Saleme said Tuesday that his office is not investigating the case at this point. “We don’t investigate,” Sale-me said. “We prosecute.”
Instead, the case came to the Patterson Police Department. Chief Garrett Grogan said he received the referral from the DA’s Office Tuesday morning and is awaiting more information from the Legislative Auditor’s Office.
No formal charges have been levied as of the date of the auditor’s report. “To date, cash and materials totaling at least $6,522 have been recovered by the volunteer fire department,” the report said.
The report said the case resulted in “decep tion of the former fire department officer and the City’s failure to establish and enforce appropriate policies and procedures.”
The city government, over the signature of Mayor Rodney Grogan, offered this response:
“In 2016 there had been discussion about whether the Patterson Volunteer Fire Department checking account was public or private and whether the funds were under the City’s authority unlike the funds in the revenue sharing account.
“The Volunteer Fire Chief, the alleged officer of the PVFD, was aware of the policy and procedures implemented by the city due to discrepancies within the Patterson VFD and the use of a debit card in 2015.
“In the future, all city departments associated with the City’s Tax ID number will adhere to the City’s credit card, savings, checking, and check signing policy as recommended by the Legislative Auditors. Also, the City will eliminate the use of debit cards within all departments.”