Finance manager under investigation, on paid leave from Spokane County Detention Services

Arlington Richards, the finance manager at the Spokane County Jail, was placed on paid administrative leave Monday pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

County spokesman Jared Webley said Tuesday the investigation is not criminal in nature and “not expected to last very long.”

Uncorroborated allegations involving Spokane County Detention Services employees surfaced on the internet Monday.

The department includes the downtown jail and the Geiger Corrections Center.

As finance manager, Richards has overseen a department budget of nearly $47 million. His base salary for 2018 is $82,358.

Webley said he could not comment on the nature of the allegations made against Richards, who started working for the county in 2004.

Richards, 47, declined to comment when reached by phone Tuesday afternoon.

“I can’t talk about an ongoing investigation,” he said.