Colorado Springs Mayor responds to audit regarding use of city resources
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - The Colorado Springs Office of the City Auditor looked into a Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline report that raised allegations about an elected official. The allegations were regarding an elected official using their security detail for non-city-related tasks. They also alleged that the elected official used their City-issued vehicle for personal use.
KRDO13 Investigates learned the elected official in question is Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade.
The Auditor found five instances in 2025 in which the elected official was accompanied by a member of their security detail.
These included:
- The elected official picked up their children from school, and all individuals proceeded to the City
Administration Building. - The elected official attended the child's elementary school graduation and then attended a City event.
- After attending a City event, the elected official picked up the child from school and then proceeded to another City event.
- Between City events, the elected official and the security detail picked up dry cleaning.
- Before attending a City event, the elected official and security detail picked up dry cleaning.
The personal stops observed were incidental to official travel, according to the Auditor. They say they did not find evidence that the security detail was directed to perform standalone administrative or personal errands on behalf of the elected official, as the initial tip alleged.
City Finance records showed that between May and June, 2025, a City-owned vehicle was used by the elected official’s spouse for 152.5 miles, according to the audit. Finance records confirmed that the use was subsequently reported and the appropriate IRS fringe benefit reporting was completed.
A Mayor's Office spokesperson confirmed to KRDO13 Investigates that for a limited time during the summer of 2025, while the Mayor's personal vehicle was in the shop, his wife, Abbey, used the City vehicle issued to the Mayor. They added that this use was temporary and properly reported.
As a result of the findings, the Audit Committee "strongly" recommended that the administration of the City of Colorado Springs establish a clear and enforceable policy governing elected officials' use of City resources, specifically including police detail and use of City vehicles, to ensure transparency, accountability, and consistency.
KRDO13 reached out to Mayor Yemi Mobolade for comment.
"The audit report confirmed City resources were used appropriately. I appreciate the City Auditor’s thorough review of this matter, particularly because no policy related to this currently exists. As we do with all reports, my administration will take the Audit Committee’s recommendation under consideration as we work to strengthen transparency and accountability moving forward."
- Mayor Yemi Mobolade
The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) has a Municipal Security Unit. Part of this unit provides security to the Mayor. CSPD tells KRDO13 that the number of CSPD officers assigned to the Mayor’s security detail through the Municipal Security Unit is a small number of officers. However, CSPD says that due to operational security, the department will not release the exact number.
The department says it works closely in partnership with the Mayor’s office under his direction on many things, including his security detail.
CSPD declined to comment on KRDO13 Investigates questions surrounding the audit.
Member of the Audit Committee and City Councilman, Dave Donelson, recommends that the City Administration take up a similar policy to CSPD for city-owned vehicles. He also noted that Mayor Mobolade is not the first mayor to have a security detail.
"I think the rules are kind of common sense. You can just copy the ones from, for our police chief and, fire chief," explained Dave Donelson.
CSPD's policy surrounding Non-City personnel using a city-owned vehicle is:
Non-City personnel may only operate a city-owned vehicle:
- In an emergency.
- In connection with repairs or service.
- As authorized by the Logistics Support manager.
Donelson is part of the Audit Committee recommending that a policy be put in place.
"One of the questions I asked is like, well, what's the policy? Is the mayor allowed to do this or not? And the answer was, from the auditors, well, that's where our recommendation is going to be. Create the policy because there isn't one now. So it'll be up to the mayor's office, the executive branch, to do that," Donelson continued. "You might say, well, why doesn't the council do it? That's where the attorneys tell us there's a gray area, whether we really can do that or not. And so let's give, let's give them the chance to do it first."
He said the accompaniment from the security detail seemed reasonable and that the auditors were more concerned about the use of the city-owned car.
"It's either pick up laundry or drop off, or pick up a child. It just needs to be laid out in the policy, if that's allowed or not. That seems fairly reasonable, right? If you're on the way from one event to another and you're not going out of the way, you just stop and pick something up," said Donelson.
The full audit can be read here:
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