More policy changes are headed for the Albuquerque Police Department after an audit found it didn't have an accurate inventory of its bullets.
At the request of the City Council, the city's Office of Internal Audit last month completed a special report on the department's purchase, management and tracking of ammunition.
Auditors found that APD was unaware of how much ammunition it had and didn't have policies and procedures for how it tracks and stores ammo, according to the audit findings published June 24.
"Ammunition has value and could easily be sold on the street or kept for personal use," the report states.
It makes no mention of specific cases of police using bullets inappropriately. An APD spokeswoman said the department had more bullets than its inventory logs state.
APD officials told auditors that it will update its policies pertaining to its ammunition by Aug. 15, according to the report.
"We are always willing to improve," said Celina Espinoza, a police spokeswoman.
She said APD has assigned someone at its training academy to order and track ammunition for the different area commands, and the area commands will keep better records of bullets.
Councilor Diane Gibson requested the audit.
She said the one reservation she had was that the audit didn't include the types of bullets the city is buying.
She wanted that included to check to make sure officers are using department-issued and not personal handguns.
"I would just like to verify that," Gibson said.
Auditors also suggested that APD stop storing practice ammunition at 11 locations throughout the city, saying there's nothing to stop officers from taking practice rounds at multiple places.
APD officials, in the report, disagreed with the auditors on that aspect.
"Storing (bullets) in one location creates a serious public safety risk as to the potential for theft or even a threat of destruction," APD said in a prepared statement included in the audit.
APD is not the only local agency revamping how it tracks sensitive equipment.
Earlier this year, an audit found the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office wasn't properly tracking its weapons at its warehouses.
Sheriff's officials said they are making changes in the wake of that audit.
APD is putting in place a series of policy changes and reforms as part of a court-enforceable settlement agreement between the city and the Department of Justice.