NEW ALBANY POLICE DEPARTMENT - New Albany, Ohio

20.1.4 Requisition and Purchasing Procedures
In consultation with the City Manager, the Finance Director establishes and maintains requisition
and purchasing procedures for the City of New Albany. A Requisition Form will be developed by
the Finance Department and used by each Department within the City, including the Police
Department, for all purchases. The following procedures will be used for the purchasing of items
by the Police Department.
The Police Clerk is responsible for maintaining a Requisition numbering system for all
Police Department Requisitions. All new Requisitions will be forwarded to the Police
Clerk who will assign each requisition its own, unique Requisition number.
Once a Requisition has been given a number, it will be forwarded to the Chief of Police for
approval. The Chief of Police will ensure that the item/service is needed for Departmental
operations. Further, the Chief of Police will ensure that the item/service has the correct
account number(s), vendor number, and any other information needed by the Finance
Department to process the requisition, including terms of payment, means of purchase
(credit card or check), etc.
The Police Clerk will maintain the pink copy of the Requisition Form and forward the white
and yellow copies to the Finance Department.
The Finance Director is responsible for ensuring that the Requisition Form is correctly
completed. The Finance Director will also ensure that proper account numbers have
been used and that there are funds in these accounts for the purchase of the items or
services.
Upon the approval of the Finance Director, the Requisition Form is forwarded to the City
Manager for final approval. Once the Requisition has been approved by the City
Manager, it will be sent back to the Finance Department.
The Finance Department will send the approved/signed yellow copy back to the Police
Department with a white and a yellow Purchase Order attached. Once the Police Clerk
has received an approved Requisition Form/Purchase Order, the Police Department will
be permitted to purchase the service or item(s).
A blanket Requisition form may be filled out quarterly. A blanket Requisition will allow
funds to be encumbered for a specified vendor for periodic purchases throughout the
quarter specified. Blanket Requisitions are generally used for cruiser maintenance items,
office supplies, postage, etc.
Under non-emergency conditions, no employee shall commit City funds for the purchase
of goods or services without having first obtained the proper authorization from the
Finance Director and City Manager as outlined in the previous paragraphs.
During an emergency situation, the Chief of Police has the authority to expend funds up to
$1,000 without following the formal requisition process. The Chief shall notify the City
Manager of the nature of the emergency and the need to expend funds. After the
emergency is over, the Chief of Police will forward a requisition and an itemized list of
expended funds to the Finance Director who shall complete a “Then and Now Certificate”
stating “that there was at the time of the making of such contract or order and at the time
of the execution of such certificate a sufficient sum appropriated for the purpose of such
contract and in the treasury or in process of collection to the credit of an appropriate fund
free from any previous encumbrances” (O.R.C. §5705.41(D)). The “Then and Now
Certificate” shall be submitted to the City Manager for final approval. Should the need
arise to commit funds in excess of $1,000, the Finance Director shall be consulted to
confirm that the funds are available. Following the emergency, a “Then and Now
Certificate” shall be completed and submitted to City Council for approval.
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