“Financial Misconduct Unveiled: Wichita Police Accountant Stealing Money Amid Vacations and Credit Card Debt”

Wichita Police Accountant Caught Stealing Money Amidst Vacations and Credit Card Debt

A Wichita police associate accountant had been taking money for years to pay off credit card debt, taxes, a new home and vacations, according to a court document. The accountant, Shauna Marie Dickman, was caught after donated dollars for USD 259 playground equipment didn’t add up. An audit found her deposits over several years were still $39,653.45 short from money that the police department collected from fingerprinting, application fees for a private security license and donations.

The missing dollars were first discovered after the Wichita Police Foundation noticed the dollars raised in a June 3, 2022 fundraiser, didn’t add up with what the organization received. The golf tournament raised funds for playground equipment for USD 259. The $2,170 raised in cash was never deposited into the bank. Dickman turned in those dollars on March 7, 2023, after she reportedly found that money in an envelope in her desk. That same day she made a withdrawal from her personal bank account for $1,850.

During the inquiry into those missing dollars, city officials also found $1,745 missing from a July 24, 2021, fundraising raffle for school supplies. Dickman turned that money in on March 9, 2023, when she also submitted her resignation letter. She withdrew $1,750 from her personal bank account that day.

An audit was conducted going back to 2018. Dickman had worked for the city since 2001. It’s unclear why the audit didn’t go back further. The investigation also showed that Dickman and her husband were having money problems. Her husband wrote to her city email in May 2019 that he was worried how they were going to get out of credit card debt, pay taxes, pay for trips that month and November all while trying to buy a new house.

He wrote her again in July 2019 asking how she paid the full amount to the IRS. She replied that it was money she earned outside of work and she saved it back as a surprise. That same month, cash deposits from the police division that gets money from fingerprinting application fees for a private security license were $2,958 short.

The amount of money supposed to be deposited by Dickman was short over the several years of the audit. These were the amounts:

2018: $13,815

2020: $16,947.23

2021: $455

2022: $6,418

2023: $270

There was another $1,748.22 “in cash missing from donations that Dickman indicated she received.” Dickman now apparently works for a church. A staff directory on Pathway Church Westlink’s website on Saturday listed her as an administrative assistant.

She and her attorney never responded to a chance to comment last month when The Eagle reached out about her being charged. In 2015, WPD highlighted Dickman’s work from the year before in a Facebook post, saying she “received a certificate of appreciation for her outstanding accuracy in financial document entry” after entering “14,064 items with a 99.7% accuracy rate. Good work Shauna!”.

The incident has raised concerns about the accountability and transparency of the police department. The community has been shocked and outraged by the news, with many expressing disappointment and frustration at the actions of the accountant. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of accountability and transparency in public institutions.

The Wichita police department has been forced to re-examine its financial management practices and procedures. The department has also had to adjust its budget to account for the stolen funds. The incident has also raised questions about how the department can prevent such incidents from happening in the future.

The investigation into the theft is ongoing, and it is unclear what the full extent of the theft is. The Wichita police department has not commented on the incident, but it is expected that more information will be released as the investigation continues.

In the meantime, the community is left to wonder how such a significant theft could have gone undetected for so long. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and accountability in public institutions.