ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick is opening an investigation into the St. Louis City Justice Center, according to letters obtained by KMOX sent to the City of St. Louis and the Detention Facility Oversight Board.
This comes after letters were sent to the auditor from State Senator Steve Roberts and the DFOB.
Among the documents requested by the auditor's letter are the CJC's food vendor invoices and its healthcare contract along with documentation related to the Oversight Board.
"Records from the city, the contingent facilities, the oversight board so we can verify what requests were made by the DFOB that have not been responded to and try to gather information then from the city to see any discrepancies." said Fitzpatrick to KMOX.
Auditor Fitzpatricks says his main focus is the City Justice Center impeding the Detention Facility Oversight Board's attempts at conducting oversight.
"The biggest concern we have is the alleged stonewalling of the board that was created by ordinance," said Fitzpatrick, "It was supported by (Mayor Jones) to oversee the facility."
Auditor Fitzpatrick asks the DFOB for documentation related to their attempts at oversight.
The list of documents the auditor is requesting from the city is far shorter than what the Oversight Board asked the auditor to investigate in their Oct. 3 letter.
"If we go into as much detail as what the Oversight Board was going into, or requesting access to, that would really extend the timeline of the investigation," said Fitzpatrick, "It would make it more difficult to provide recommendations that would be needed."
Auditor Fitzpatrick has requested the documents be provided to his office no later than Oct. 24.
A statement from Mayor Tishaura Jones office reads "Our administration commissioned a series of audits on the Corrections Division through 2022 as well as a 2021 critical needs assessment and has made improvements based on said assessment. City departments have complied with routine audits from the state under previous auditor Nicole Galloway, and they will continue to do so under Auditor Fitzpatrick."
The investigation by Fitzpatrick comes weeks after a growing amount of issues that have happened at the Justice Center over the past year, from 10 deaths at the center since the start of 2022 and prisoners holding a 70-year-old hostage, demanding better food services.
Missouri Rep. Cori Bush sent a letterto St. Louis Commissioner of Corrections Jennifer Clemons-Abdullah last week, expressing serious concerns regarding the conditions and treatment of detainees and staff at St. Louis City Justice Center (CJC).
Mayor Jones has continued to voice support for the head of City Justice Center in spite of the growing problems at the Justice Center.