You may have read about the recent grand jury indictment of a former emergency manager in Lincoln County, North Carolina on charges of forgery and falsifying documents. Unfortunately, these crimes were not committed for personal gain but rather appears to have been an attempt to circumvent Federal grant requirements. The person in question used grant funds to obtain equipment that was not on the list of grant-eligible items and then falsified documents for submission to the state.

Anyone who has worked with the Federal grant programs has experienced frustration with the list of items approved for purchase with grant funds. Simply put, the list is an attempt to impose a "one-size-fits-all" solution that doesn't always meet the needs of a local jurisdiction. And we've all done our best to try and get what we need using grant funds, in spite of the list.

But there is a line we cannot cross. One of the Principles of Emergency Management is professionalism, which includes adhering to high standards of integrity. Further, we are expected to put the best interests of the people we serve before everything else. Leaving aside the issue of public embarrassment, this particular case can have serious financial repercussions for a county already struggling with budget deficits.

So resist the temptation to go beyond creative interpretation of grant requirements and cross the line into fraud. Make it clear to your subordinates, vendors, and others you have regular contact with that you have no tolerance for this type of behavior. You may not always be popular but you'll sleep better at night.