The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office run by U.S. Senate candidate Sheriff Mark Lamb has spent at least $217,000 from a jail commissary fund that Arizona lawmakers mandated be used “for the benefit and welfare of inmates” to instead buy a cache of weapons, ammunition and ballistic vests.

The purchases violate state law, criminal justice experts say.

Arizona Luminaria reviewed expenses and revenues from the sheriff’s office inmate welfare fund over a five-year period. From July 2018 to July 2023, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office spent just over $4 million for inmate services. At least $217,000 of that, or about 5.5%, was spent on guns, bullets and vests for the law enforcement agency, according to county budget documents obtained via a public records request.

Over the same five years, the county spent less than $900 on books for people detained in the jail

  • @givesomefucks
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    801 year ago

    Sherrifs have been doing shit like this for as long as we’ve had sherrifs…

    It’s almost like we need a national agency to hold police accountable or, I dunno, try fucking anything?

    • rynzcycle
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      251 year ago

      That’s one solution, the other is make the Sheriff (and anyone else involved) an inmate.

      • @SARGEx117
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        51 year ago

        I feel like “give them to the inmates” could serve dual purpose here, intentionak or not!

  • Horsey
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    231 year ago

    Pima county resident here: Pinal county is pretty much a Trump cesspool of retirees and people who think the world is out to get them. Their county has been on a steady decline as the brain drain moves north to Phoenix. Doesn’t surprise me lmao.

    • @Salamendacious
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      11 year ago

      How is his Senate race going from your perspective? Do you think he’ll beat Lake?

  • The Pantser
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    81 year ago

    Is it Pie-nal, pee-nal, or pin-al?

  • Phoenixz
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    71 year ago

    Make the Sherrod an inmate, as he committed a criminal act. Should be fun for him to see how criminals are treated

  • @toasteecup
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    31 year ago

    Well that’s one way to ensure their welfare i guess

  • @[email protected]
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    11 year ago

    While not surprising unfortunately, you’d be amazed at how many IBF’s get used like administrative slush funds. I bet they got some nice upgrades when they appropriated due to COVID.

    One thing that I think needs a lot more attention is the victims compensation fund, and how at least in my state inmates skirt ever having to pay anything into it by abusing the indigent system.