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G.O. 31 LONGWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDER NUMBER: GO - 31 SUBJECT: FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT EFFECTIVE: NOVEMBER 14, 2000 REVISED: JULY 1, 2023 GENERAL ORDER FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT GO – 31 PAGE 1 OF 6 I. PURPOSE: It is the policy of the Longwood Police Department to maintain fiscal management practices consistent with all applicable federal, state and local laws, and generally accepted accounting principles. The purpose of this General Order is to establish and maintain guidelines for the fiscal management of the department. II. DEFINITIONS: A. Allotment: An authorization for, or limitation on, expenditures for a given period. B. Appropriation: Money that the agency is authorized to spend for a specific purpose, such as personnel services, operating expenses, supplies, etc. C. Budget Manual: Document prepared by the Department of Finance to guide users in the development of the budget for the ensuing year. D. Encumbrance: A commitment in the form of an order, contract, salary, or similar item that will become payable when goods are delivered or services rendered. E. Unencumbered Balance: That part of an appropriation or allotment that has not been committed and is thus available for expenditure. GENERAL ORDER FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT GO – 31 PAGE 2 OF 6 F. Financial Audit: An examination of financial statements in order to express an opinion of the fairness with which they present financial position, results of operations, and changes in financial position in conformity with generally accepted governmental accounting principles and an examination to determine whether operations are properly conducted in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements. III. FISCAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY: A. The chief has the authority and the responsibility for the fiscal management of the department. B. The chief is responsible to oversee the fiscal management of the department, which includes, but is not limited to, annual budget development, supervision of internal expenditures and related controls, and the liaison with the city’s officers. IV. BUDGET PROCESS: The department budget shall be prepared and presented each year in accordance with the schedule established by the budget calendar and the Longwood City Commission. A. A budget manual prepared by the Finance Director will be distributed to each department in January of each year. 1. Budget requests shall be prepared in accordance with the budget format described in the Budget Manual. 2. Budget input will be made by division managers for operating and capital for base budget and personal services; operating and capital for program enhancements based on functional goals and objectives. B. The City Manager will review budget input and meet with department directors and other appropriate personnel to provide budget and financial information as may be required based on functional goals and objectives. C. After revision, the budget shall be placed in final format to be reviewed by the chief. D. Final budget revisions will be made and the budget document will be prepared by the Finance Director for submission to the Longwood City Commission. E. If circumstances develop during the fiscal year that require funds for non budgeted expenditures: GENERAL ORDER FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT GO – 31 PAGE 3 OF 6 1. Funds may be reallocated within the same activity and major object classification. 2. Transfers between organizational classifications may be made only with prior approval by the City Commission. 3. The chief may, at his discretion, request supplemental and emergency appropriations (fund transfers) from the Longwood City Commission. 4. Written petitions to the Longwood City Commission to request appropriations shall consist of the execution of a City of Longwood Budget Change Request Form by the Department of Finance after the request has been approved by the City Manager. 5. In the event of a disaster the chief may petition adjoining law enforcement agencies under the auspices of the mutual aid agreements. 6. The State of Florida may be petitioned to provide emergency funding via the Florida State Emergency Management Act, Chapter 252, Florida State Statutes. The State of Florida Division of Emergency Management will investigate an appropriations request and determine applicability of need. 7. Failing to receive emergency funding via the Florida State Emergency Management Act, a petition may be directed to the United States Federal Emergency Management Association. 8. The Department of Finance will maintain petitions, forms and other documentation, including procedures for requesting emergency appropriations on the county, state and federal levels. V. ACCOUNTING: The maintenance of accounts and records shall be in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Uniform Accounting System and shall be maintained in sufficient detail to permit an annual audit. A. The annual allocation of budgeted funds shall be credited to department’s general operating account in accordance with the approved budget. B. Only those persons authorized shall receive funds and approve disbursements. 1. The chief is authorized to approve disbursements from budgeted funds. GENERAL ORDER FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT GO – 31 PAGE 4 OF 6 2. All monetary disbursements in excess of five hundred dollars per expenditure require prior approved by the chief. 3. All cash expenditures shall be documented by ledger or invoice. 4. Personnel authorized to receive funds include, but are not limited to: a. Finance Department b. Record’s Clerk C. All funds received shall be documented by ledger; cash funds shall also be documented by cash receipt. D. Funds received shall be deposited with the Department of Finance on the day of receipt, if possible. 1. Funds received after banking hours shall be secured in an appropriate safe and deposited the next business day. 2. Deposits shall be posted to the accounting records on the day of the deposit. E. Accounting records shall be closed on a weekly basis and weekly budget position analysis reports prepared. 1. Budget reports should reflect initial appropriation for each account, beginning balances of the weekly period, cash and other funds received and cash and other funds disbursed during the week and the unencumbered balance for each account. 2. The reports shall be analyzed and the chief briefed on potential funding problems. F. Transfers of appropriate funds may be requested by the chief. 1. Transfer of funds between personal services, operating expenses or capital outlay may only be made with written approval of the chief and the Longwood City Commission. 2. This applies to supplemental or emergency transfers. G. Expenses occurring in the fiscal year shall be charged to the budget for that year. GENERAL ORDER FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT GO – 31 PAGE 5 OF 6 1. The accounting records may be held open up to thirty days to insure that this is accomplished. 2. Unexpended balances shall be refunded to the City of Longwood General Fund. H Annual budget reports shall be prepared at the end of the fiscal year by the Department of Finance and forwarded to the Florida State Comptroller and to the Clerk of the Circuit Court. VI. INDEPENDENT AUDIT: A. An independent audit of the city’s fiscal records is preformed annually by a firm selected by and according to criteria established by the City Commission. B. Audits will be conducted to determine the compliance with the Uniform Accounting System and the Governmental Generally Accepted Accounted Principles (G.A.A.P.). C. The auditing firm will conduct two on-site audits. A preliminary audit, or assessment, is conducted during the spring of each year to spot-check agency financial operations and accountability procedures. A full audit is conducted during the fall of each year. D. The auditing firm will establish, with the Director of the Department of Finance, a mutually agreeable date in which to begin the audit. E. The auditing firm will provide, in advance, a list of documentation required to verify accountability compliance. F. Upon completion of the audit, the report is forwarded by the auditing firm to the City Commission. G. The chief may appeal or contest the findings of the audit according to procedure established by the City Commission. VII. INTERNAL MONITORING: As part of internal monitoring procedures, the Director of the Department of Finance shall perform the following: A. Host individual auditors and audit teams during their examinations of the accounts and records of the Chief’s Office; GENERAL ORDER FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT GO – 31 PAGE 6 OF 6 B. Disseminate audit findings to department directors, and solicit responses when appropriate; C. Prepare a final report of responses with regard to the audit finding; D. Conduct internal audits as directed by the Commission, prepare cost analysis including monthly budget position analysis, and establish internal control procedures.