Associated Press - October 12, 2009 12:25 PM ET

GILLETTE, Wyo. (AP) - The Campbell County Sheriff's Office has led Wyoming sheriff's offices in spending for the past four years.

A Wyoming Department of Audit report shows the Campbell County department spent $5.9 million in fiscal year 2008.

That's $900,000 more than any other county spent.

Campbell County ranks third in Wyoming for population.

Sheriff Bill Pownall says his department's spending is not wasteful or excessive.

He says the report is misleading because not all sheriff's offices compile their spending reports the same.

For example, Campbell County reports how much it spends on dispatch services while Laramie and Natrona counties don't report those expenditures because they share dispatch services with other local agencies.

Information from: The Gillette News Record - Gillette, http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com

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