Staff Report

FRANKFORT — State Auditor Adam Edelen released the audit of the 2011 financial statement of Bell County Sheriff Bruce Bennett on Wednesday. The audit found that the sheriff’s financial statement fairly presents the revenues, expenditures, and excess fees of the Bell County sheriff in conformity with the regulatory basis of accounting.

The auditor noted no instances of noncompliance. The auditor also noted that no matters involving internal control over financial reporting and its operation were considered to be material weaknesses.

The audit was conducted in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States. Those standards require that the auditor plans and performs the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statement is free of material misstatements.

An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statement. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.

State law requires the auditor to annually audit the accounts of each county sheriff. In compliance with this law, the auditor issues two sheriff’s reports each year: one reporting on the audit of the sheriff’s tax account and the other reporting on the audit of the fee account used to operate the office.

The sheriff’s responsibilities include collecting property taxes, providing law enforcement and performing services for the county fiscal court and courts of justice. The management of the Bell County Sheriff’s office is responsible for establishing and maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting.

The sheriff’s office is funded through statutory commissions and fees collected in conjunction with these duties.

The full audit report can be found on the auditor’s website: www.auditor.ky.gov.