What's the problem with horses? Or is it something else? Over the past few weeks Mid America Live has chatted with folks on the street about the use of horses by the sheriff's office which included responses from Sheriff Chad Anderson as well as Presiding Commissioner Jim Wheatley as the two offices they represent are at the focal point of discussion.
“First and foremost, using horses for search and rescue has lots of advantages including the rider being higher to see better, as well as being much quieter when trying to find a missing person“ says Sheriff Chad Anderson “and for some reason, there's some issue with it."
He went on to say that using horses for search & rescue and public events is a justifiable expense, much like other things used by the office (four wheelers, drones, etc.). He added that the animals also make for good public relations as they are often well received when visible at public events. In his eyes it's a win-win.
This however has fallen under the scrutiny of the Bates County Commission and some others. “I want to be clear, I don’t have a problem the horses” said Presiding Commissioner Jim Wheatley “First, it’s my job in representing the people of Bates County so they know where the money is being spent.” Wheatley went on to say that merely questioning exactly what money is being spent for is cause of friction with the sheriff’s office, but "My biggest concern is that the horses and riders have proper training. If they are used for crowd control for example, all horses and riders need to be certified so they can operate safely around people. Think about it, mounted patrols in big cities make sure everyone is trained and horses are properly vetted, why not here?” he said.
Anderson responded to that statement saying training has been held on multiple occasions with at least three being sanctioned by the National Mounted Police Services, where both horse and rider were schooled in all necessary areas including desensitization. This is where the horse is trained not to react to people, noise, bright lights and other distractions; he feels confident that they can be used safely in public and/or in other situations without posing a risk.
In our discussions with the sheriffs office and the commission, it's clear the sheriff's office does indeed have the power to manage their own budget but they must contend with scrutiny of the county commission, as they oversee payments to vendors used by the sheriff’s office.
Quite possibly it may be more about spending in general rather than just having horses? Anderson said when it comes to answering questions about invoices, he has always provided whatever information the commission has asked for but feels that some of it is just being nit picky at times.
“Not the case” said Wheatley. “Again, we just want to be completely transparent with our Bates county constituents."
Regarding finances, Anderson says that his office is self sustaining in terms of income and he has the power to spend money as he sees necessary. “Again, I tell you that you can come look at our books any time. There’s nothing to hide. I’ve never approved a purchase that I thought was unjustified or frivolous."
He went on to state that for the first time in its history, the sheriffs office is running in the black, most of which has came under his reign as sheriff. Putting that money to good use "in better protecting and serving those in Bates county is our highest priority." And that means if horses are part of the equation, so be it.
What feedback did we get when asking those on the street for their opinion about horses or other expenditures by the sheriff's office? Surprisingly, many weren't aware of any of it. Of those who were, it was literally 50/50 for or against. Even those who deemed horses not necessary in their opinion said that if the sheriff's office could afford them and thought they needed them, then do it. A few said it seemed 'excessive' for the sheriff's office to have armored vehicles and live animals.
We also got mixed reactions about a 'riff' between the commission and the sheriff's office being something personal and "we all now have to contend with it."
Quite possibly a more scientific survey would be needed but it now is in the hands of the state auditors. A regular scheduled audit is currently being performed with additional focus on costs related to horses and other expenditures made by the sheriff’s office. That added focus is the result of a whistleblower complaint made to the State Auditor’s office last year.
For the record, Bates County was last audited in 2017 and was given a performance rating of ‘fair’ which indicated the county needed to improve operations in several areas. The audit raised concerns with management of county funds and recommended measures to ensure better accounting practices and oversight.
The results of the audit typically may not be available for six months or so; however Anderson has requested they be expedited and made available as soon as possible. With that, it is likely we may not know the final results until late Summer at best.
As the current audit is ongoing, individuals may provide confidential information for consideration to the State Auditor’s Whistleblower Hotline at 800-347-8597, by email at moaudit@auditor.mo.gov or by visiting www.auditor.mo.gov/hotline.
Note- This article published in the News-Shopper February 7 contained an error and an omission regarding the status of the posse and its relationship to the sheriff's office. Those corrections will be made public in next week's edition.
