Misused public fundsAbuse of power & retaliationOversight & ethics enforcement

Vermont auditor says sheriffs face little oversight; report cites 204 financial-audit findings across 14 departments since 2006

Confidence: Confirmed · 3 sourcesVermont · Oct 13, 2026

Subject of this story

Vermont sheriffs' departments

Also named

Oversight

Vermont Criminal Justice Council

Vermont State Auditor of Accounts

What happened

A July 2026 report from the Vermont State Auditor summarizes recent incidents in sheriff departments and 20 years of financial audits. It reports 204 audit findings across all 14 departments from 2006 to 2025, 32 percent of them repeat findings, and says the auditor's contractor could not complete audits for Franklin County (2022, 2024) and Windsor County (2025) because of deficient recordkeeping. The report says the only routes to removing a sheriff are not seeking re-election, losing re-election, or impeachment by the Legislature, and describes tools used in other states. Sheriffs are elected every four years, next in the 2026 election. The report says it is not an audit and contains no formal recommendations.

Sources (3)

Report: Vermont Sheriffs (Vermont State Auditor, July 2026)Although an imprisoned sheriff is suspended from the office, they are able to reassume the position if they are released during their term of office.

Vermont Business MagazineFrom 2006 to 2025, financial audits included 204 findings for all fourteen sheriff departments, 32% of which were repeat findings.

WCAXA new report from the state auditor finds that the way sheriffs operate in Vermont is fundamentally flawed, with no meaningful oversight and no direct way to discipline or remove them from office.

Response

Vermont sheriffs' departments

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