ROANOKE, Va. — A recent audit has revealed that the Roanoke Police Department exceeded the budget of a state-funded violence prevention grant by nearly $94,000, raising concerns about oversight, spending controls, and program management.
The grant, originally valued at $300,000, was provided through the Virginia Attorney General’s Office using pandemic relief funds and was designed to support youth mentoring, tutoring programs, and other outreach initiatives aimed at reducing gun violence in the city. The program was managed through the department’s RESET team, which focuses on working with at-risk youth.
However, investigators determined that the total spending connected to the program reached approximately $394,000, meaning the city ultimately had to cover the additional costs through its police department budget.
Oversight Issues Allowed Spending to Continue
According to the audit, the grant funds had already been exhausted by September 2024, but expenses tied to the program continued for months afterward, extending into mid-2025. Auditors said there was no internal safeguard that flagged the program once the grant limit had been reached.
City officials say the situation largely stemmed from staffing changes among employees responsible for managing the grant during that period.
Despite the overspending, police officials say the additional expenses were covered within the department’s overall budget and did not require cuts to other city services.
Concerns Raised About Program Oversight
In addition to the financial issues, auditors also identified several operational concerns within the program.
Some youth participants were reportedly assigned work connected to businesses operated by mentors, creating what investigators described as a potential conflict of interest. Auditors also found that certain activities performed by program participants did not clearly align with the grant’s stated goal of helping young people develop job skills and career opportunities.
Another issue highlighted in the review involved the mentorship program itself. Auditors said there was limited documentation showing that background checks had been completed for some mentors who were working with youth.
Procurement and Contracting Questions
The review also examined the process used to hire outside support for the program. Early payments were reportedly made to a vendor before a formal contract had been finalized, and auditors later determined the position should have gone through a competitive bidding process under city procurement policies.
That outside vendor relationship has since ended.
City Officials Say Safeguards Are Now in Place
Roanoke leaders say changes have already been made to ensure the situation does not happen again.
Police officials have created a new administrative division focused on grant management, purchasing oversight, and financial tracking to improve accountability moving forward. Updated procedures now require multiple approvals before expenses tied to grants are processed.
City leaders also say the department has moved away from relying on outside contractors for youth mentorship services. Instead, the program is now run primarily by city employees and outreach workers.
RESET Program Continues
Despite the audit findings, the department says the RESET program remains active and continues to work with young people in the community.
The initiative was originally launched as part of a broader strategy to reduce youth involvement in violence by providing mentorship, tutoring, and connections to employment opportunities.
Officials say the program is now operating under tighter oversight as the city works to improve internal systems and prevent similar financial issues in the future.
City leaders also emphasized that the funds used in the program ultimately come from taxpayers, highlighting the importance of proper monitoring and accountability when managing public grants.