GREENSBURG — The St. Helena Parish Police Jury, over the course of two years, exceeded its travel budget by more than $125,000, as well as spending more than $13,000 in public money to throw Christmas parties, a report from the Legislative Auditor's Office released Monday says.

The report alleges that, in 2024 and 2025, travel expenditures for the parish's governing body totaled $206,578.64. The police jury was only budgeted $81,100 for those two years, meaning police jurors exceeded the total travel budget by $125,48.64. 

According to 2024 and 2025 travel records cited by the audit, police jury employees and officials attended 27 out-of-town conferences, including nine conferences where six or more employees or officials attended the same event.

Between February 2025 and December 2025, the police jury issued six travel advance payments to employees or officials totaling $9,740. However, these employees or officials failed to reimburse $5,812 for the unused portions of the advances within 14 days of the trips, the audit cites.

Four officials were cited for failing to reimburse the parish promptly — former Police Jury President Ryan Byrd, current Police Jury President Quanika Muse, Office of Emergency Preparedness Director Roderick Matthews and Police Juror Warren McCray Jr.

Matthews was advanced funds in February, August and December 2025, but eventually reimbursed the parish, making his last reimbursement payment on May 6, 2026. 

On Feb. 21, 2025, however, Muse, Byrd and McCray were each advanced $2,000 for their travel to a conference in Washington, D.C. Muse owed the parish $1,346.47, Byrd owed $1,497.10 and McCray owed $1,478.20.

After preliminary findings from the audit were presented to the police jury on July 9, 2026, Muse gave a written statement and documentation saying that she reimbursed the amount of unused travel funds on July 21. 

On July 23, McCray and Byrd also responded, saying that they were both in the process of repaying amounts owed for unused travel funds.

Secretary-Treasurer Sharonda Brown notes that travel warrants to support these advances were done on the "honor system." 

The report additionally reports that Christmas parties in 2024 and 2025 cost a combined $22,156. The report notes that the police jury received $9,100 in contributions for the parties, but spent $13,056 in public funds on the parties. These expenses included alcohol, event planning, catering, photography, a live band, a food and beverage server and promotional products.

The audit notes that $3,475 was used to buy alcohol.

"Although SHPPJ may accept donations, once accepted, those funds become public funds and must be used in furtherance of the public purpose for which SHPPJ was created," the audit added. "By using public funds for celebratory functions, including funds solicited and received specifically for that purpose, SHPPJ employees and officials may have violated the Louisiana Constitution, which prohibits the donation of public funds, and state law."

Brown told the auditor that the police jury has held a Christmas Employee Appreciation Party for several years. The parties were open to all employees, police jurors, constables, donors and their plus-ones, which totaled more than 100 attendees.

"Ms. Brown further stated that she believed it was permissible to use donations to fund a Christmas party," the audit added.

Records from the police jury show that Brown and Byrd cosigned a letter requesting donations from "esteemed vendors and business partners" for the 2025 party. The police jury noted that it received $5,600 in donations for this event. 

A letter was not written soliciting donations for the 2024 event, but records indicate that $3,500 was raised. 

Last week, ahead of the audit's public release, Jury President Muse said that she began consulting with the parish's lawyers to draft legislation that will be presented to the governing body for "immediate implementation."

She added that she is requesting that all travel expenses be suspended until new policies are reviewed, approved by the parish's legal team and adopted by a vote from the jury. This is expected to happen within 90 days, Muse continued.

"I can assure the citizens of St. Helena Parish that we take these matters seriously and we will act in the best interest of all our citizens," she wrote.