JACKSON – A Department of Public Safety official has to repay the state more than $6,000 for using a state-owned vehicle for his personal use. The state auditor’s office said that Byron Thompson, the Search and Rescue Coordinator for Mississippi Homeland Security used the vehicle for non-official business between August 2009 and May 2010.
Thompson must repay the State of Mississippi $6,565.71.
“State owned vehicles are to be used for official state business and not personal use,” said State Auditor Stacey Pickering. “Personal use is different than traveling in a state car to a meeting, convention or to the office. Special agents analyzed this individual’s time sheets, fuel purchase reports and schedules to determine when he was officially ‘on the clock’ and when it was obvious he was using his state-owned vehicle for personal use that is clearly a violation of State Law.”
Mississippi Code Section 25-1-79 clearly prohibits personal use in a state-owned vehicle for any purpose other than the official business of the State of Mississippi. Personal use is not to be confused with allowable uses of state-owned vehicles as outlined in the Department of Finance and Administration’s Fleet Manual. Personal travel, such as vacations, out of town trips while off duty, transportation of family members, etc., is prohibited.
Stephen B. Simpson, Commissioner for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, would not say if Thompson received any kind of internal disciplinary action because of the matter, but he did release the following statement:
“When allegations were made, the Department of Public Safety requested the Auditor’s Office to assist us and review our polices with regards to state vehicle use. DPS has participated fully with the review of fleet usage and cooperated with the Auditor’s Office.”
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