Big payment, no records

An independent audit has found that the Los Angeles International Airport paid nearly $8 million to the Los Angeles Police Department to provide police services at the airport- but records of the payments- and the services the LAPD provided, do not exist.

The airport has a tendency to generate significant revenue, according to sources, and federal law requires those monies be used for operational and capital costs.

They are not permitted to funnel money into nearby cities.

The non-existent paper trail

The primary question in all this relates to why the LAPD was paid so much money- especially since the airport has its own police force.

And for the most part, that agency is responsible for providing law enforcement services and arresting defendants who later find themselves in need of LAX bail bonds.

Auditors found that more than $190,000 to pay to have unauthorized Los Angels Police officers at the airport to help increase the presence of law enforcement, with some of that expenditure having gone toward overtime costs.

The other $7.87 million- well that's another story.

A source close to the audit says the airport lacks the proper documentation and has been unable to produce invoices, cost allocation plans and other types of things they should have had on file.

The president of the Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Association reportedly said he's happy this information has been exposed to the public and hopes it will "incite a public outcry".