Former State Police Chief Investigated For Meal Reimbursement - 11/3/2009

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - An investigation has found that Ohio's former Highway Patrol chief failed to disclose an internal patrol account as the source of meals he was reimbursed for.

The report says Richard Collins should have listed the account as the reimbursement source for $167 in meals in 2007 and $183 in meals in 2008 as required by law.

The reimbursement was for a few meals that Collins bought for others at patrol-related events.

Collins, who resigned in August, says he's working with the Ohio Ethics Commission to resolve the matter.

The report by the state Inspector General also found problems with the management of the patrol academy gift store, which funded the internal account.

The report says no one kept track of store inventory or how much was sold.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

AP-NY-11-03-09 1511EST