A Performance Audit of Salt Lake County Metro and Oxbow Jail Facilities
October 28, 2025
Report Highlights
Opportunities to Improve Capital Project Planning and Management
Jail Management did not connect funding requests to long-term facility plans or condition assessments. Their planning was reactive and in response to immediate problems rather than following strategic, forward-looking plans. In addition, Jail Management did not always keep records showing how they estimated project costs. Limited funding and capital reserves delayed critical infrastructure projects, potentially creating safety risks, increasing long-term costs, and jeopardizing the County’s ability to maintain safe, working jail facilities. The County needs better planning processes, documentation, and funding strategies to fix current problems and support long-term facility care.
Opportunity to Improve Parts Inventory Tracking and Other Safeguards
Jail Management did not maintain a complete list of parts they have on hand. Additionally, storage areas lacked consistent labels and security measures. The jail facilities team members have no written guidelines for which parts to store in various locations. We also found that high-value parts could not always be located. The jail needs better inventory procedures, stronger physical security over parts, and tracking tools, like barcode systems, to ensure proper use of resources, increase efficiency, and reduce risk of theft.
Opportunities to Improve Work Order Documentation, Reporting, and Monitoring
The Sheriff’s Office work order system lacked key maintenance information like hours worked and parts used. Additionally, it did not contain sufficient information to provide maintenance history for specific equipment. These gaps limit management’s ability to oversee operations and measure efficiency. Some work orders stayed open for months without explanation, and the Sheriff’s Office and County Facilities Management systems were not connected to each other. Better documentation, system integration, and monitoring would improve coordination and help ensure maintenance resources work efficiently.
