Hamilton County Commission Chairman Fred Skillern and other commissioners said Thursday that Sheriff Jim Hammond used money approved for the purchase of undercover cars to buy a vehicle for his own use.
Some of the commissioners question the purchase, which came out of $200,000 in seized drug funds. In April, the commission approved using the money to buy undercover cars for the sheriff's office.
Sheriff Hammond said the purchase was appropriate and suggested the commission could not tell him what cars he could and could not drive.
"I think they want to try to tell me where (I) use all those cars, and that's not their role," Mr. Hammond said.
Sheriff Hammond said the Chevrolet Tahoe he is driving was purchased as one of 11 undercover cars the county bought using money it obtained from drug cases, but said he swapped another car he was driving for it.
He said he traded cars with the captain of the narcotics division and declined to identify the kind of car he traded in, saying it was still being used in undercover work.
Sheriff Hammond said the captain offered to trade cars with him because the captain "knew I liked Tahoes."
"And if one of (the cars purchased) is one I particularly like to drive then, as sheriff, it is my prerogative to drive that car," Sheriff Hammond said.
He said the Tahoe cost in the low $20,000 range, and had about 27,000 miles on it. Attempts Thursday to obtain more specific information about the Tahoe were unsuccessful.
Mr. Skillern said the county auditor's office brought the issue to his attention. The auditor's office declined to comment.
County Attorney Rheubin Taylor said the sheriff's decision to swap cars probably doesn't pose any legal problems, but it does pose a "practical problem" for Mr. Hammond.
"You don't want the commission mad at you," Mr. Taylor said. "The commission controls all funds."
Commissioner Richard Casavant called the situation "an embarrassment."
"That's not what the money, as I understand it, should have gone for," Dr. Casavant said.
Commissioner Larry Henry said the situation "doesn't look good."
"I've got a little issue with it," Mr. Henry said. "To some extent I think the commission might've been misled a little bit about it."
Commissioner Jim Coppinger said he wasn't sure if there was anything wrong with the sheriff getting a Tahoe, but he said it probably would've been best if he'd told the commission about it.
Commissioner Bill Hullander said he did not know whether the purchase was legal or not and said the commission can ask about it.
Commissioner Warren Mackey said he also has concerns.
"When I heard it, I had some questions about it because if we, as a body, have made one decision that wasn't abided by, we need to correct ourselves," Mr. Mackey said.