In the request to Chief Gerry Whitman, Mares asked for the expenditures associated with the collection of the department's intelligence information, as well as the cost associated with the ongoing federal lawsuit.

"I am upholding my duty to the citizens to be the fiscal watchdog," said Mares, who was responding to a request made last week by a social justice group called the All Nations Alliance.

Thursday, the alliance hand-delivered a letter to Mares asking for an audit of the department's cost regarding the spy files.

Mares said he would request the information, but stopped short of a formal audit.

"The issue of the audit is put on hold depending on how we get this information," Mares said.

Mares said, he would consider an audit if his office was unable to get information or if the review indicated an audit was needed. Mares said he called Whitman to alert him of the request and that the chief had been extremely cooperative.

A member of the alliance met Mares' announcement with reservations. "I see this as a positive small step" toward shedding more light on the situation, Pavlos Stavropoulos said. "I hope he will remain vigilant on the subject."

The spy files became public in March after a Golden attorney tipped the American Civil Liberties Union to their existence.