When a bunch of Coral Gables police officers got together to throw a barbecue lunch, they bought $250 in meat for the grill on a city-issued credit card.

Now, a year after a major was suspended for buying Christmas gifts on his city Visa, the city's internal affairs unit is investigating another police purchase.

Lt. Ted Nguyen confirmed that he was investigating a purchase made by someone in the criminal investigation division. He said the inquiry began in November but would not comment further because it is an open case.

A statement obtained by The Miami Herald, however, shows a Sept. 3 purchase at BJ's Wholesale Club in Kendall -- spare ribs, skirt steaks, Bubba Burgers and all beef hotdogs and buns and sauces -- for $248.58.

The purchase was made by Sgt. Danny Mosquera and approved by his major, Mark Ginn of the criminal investigation division. ''Division working lunch meeting'' is written on the receipt.

''It was classified as a working divisional lunch,'' Police Chief Richard Naue said Friday, adding that it would be inappropriate and against the law for him to discuss an open internal affairs investigation.

Neither Ginn nor Mosquera returned calls.

This is not the first time a police officer has been investigated for spending on a city-issued Visa.

Last year, Maj. Scott Masington, who reimbursed the city before the complaint was made, got a one-day suspension after he bought 30 Casio watches for his motorcycle, crash investigation, bike and marine patrol officers and put the $625 order on his city credit card.

Late Coral Gables police chief Michael Hammerschmidt ordered an audit of all city ''purchasing cards'' in the department and issued a ban on spending any taxpayer funds on food.

''It was reiterated at staff meetings as well, that we are not supposed to purchase any food items,'' Naue said. ``There were concerns. We have had awards ceremonies and promotion ceremonies and we stopped purchasing food for those as well.

``We didn't feel that a party was an appropriate expenditure, even if it was budgeted.''

Food purchases are allowed for hurricanes, special SWAT assignments or cases where ''people cannot be removed or relieved of their duties,'' Naue said, ``but for run of the mill parties, no.''

He said he could envision meetings where food might be appropriate. ``A group of investigators and people come from other police stations, a training session.''

The barbecue in September, he said, ``was a gathering of individuals from the criminal investigation division. All the staff was invited.''

Naue had a sausage and a hamburger, he said.

Sources close to the investigation say that Masington -- whose credit card faux pas led to the scrutiny of the city manager's expenses and, ultimately, the top boss' forced early retirement -- is the only one of four supervisors who did not sign off on the food purchase. The investigation centers on the fact that someone cut off the chain-of-command approval signatures that showed he did not approve the expense.

Masington said he could not comment on an open investigation.

But the statement and receipt show the chain of command approval process on other statements: a sergeant, lieutenant, major, assistant chief and chief must all sign off on the purchase. The receipt from BJ's ends with Ginn's approval, but the lines for the assistant chief and chief's signatures are missing.