Lt. Alfred Lowe was put on administrative leave after an audit was conducted on the department he runs, the Crimes Against Person’s Unit.

Lowe, a 31-year veteran, was put on administrative leave after a city auditor found violations in the way two grants for gang enforcement had been used. An ongoing investigation on how the money was used is being conducted by the city of El Paso.

Chief Greg Allen placed Lowe on leave on Monday.

In a release from the city of El Paso, City Manager Joyce Wilson and Police Chief Greg Allen have taken the following actions to ensure all grants are administered accordingly:

• An auditor has been placed in the police department’s grant division to review all grant operations and assist police department in placing proper protocols and internal controls in place.

• Police administrative staff are working with Deputy City Manager David Almonte to create a contract/grants administration and compliance position to oversee all grant operations within the department. This will be a non-sworn professional position with the proper credentials to manage this important function for the agency.

City manager Joyce Wilson said the city will now hire someone just to oversee grant administration.

Wilson said she does not believe that there’s a corruption problem in the El Paso Police Department.

"We have a department with almost 1,200 men and woman who are sworn officers and are extremely devoted and dedicated,” Wilson said. “It's unfortunate that a few officers have put a cloud over the image and reputation of the department."

Wilson said the city takes fraud very seriously.