The Advantages of Having an IG Be Part of a Local Ethics Program
In New Orleans, it is the ethics board that selects <a href="http://nolaoig.org/main/">the city's inspector general</a>.
According to <a href="http://www.myneworleans.com/New-Orleans-Magazine/July-2013/Assessing-a-…; target="”_blank”">an
article in the July issue of <i>New Orleans</i> magazine</a>, it took the
city a long time to get an inspector general. The first time an IG's contract came up for
renewal, the ethics board voted for it unanimously. The board chair,
civic organizations, and business groups all praised his work. The
only criticism from residents was that the IG had been too soft on
the police department. According to <a href="http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/05/new_orleans_inspector_ge…; target="”_blank”">an
article in the New Orleans <i>Times-Picayune</i></a>, they felt that the
IG had not done enough to support the work of the independent police
monitor, who is to a large degree independent from the IG's office,
but shares a budget. <br>
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The IG's <a href="http://www.nolaoig.org/uploads/File/Annual%20Reports/2012%20Annual%20Re…; target="”_blank”">annual
report</a> claimed savings for the city of $10.74 million in 2012,
mostly from halting fraudulent schemes. <br>
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It can be useful in many ways for an inspector general to be part of
a local government ethics program. It is especially valuable when the EC's members
are not selected by officials under their jurisdiction, as in New
Orleans and many other cities and counties.<br>
<br>
One, the inspector general is seen as independent, and oversight of
the IG is seen as independent. This is a wonderful way to
win the public's trust.<br>
<br>
Two, the inspector general can handle ethics investigations better
than an ethics program (due both to skills and to budget), and these
investigations are not as likely to be low priority, since the IG
reports to the EC.<br>
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Three, the financial value of the ethics program is more striking when it includes an IG.
Although ethics programs prevent wrongdoing that can lead to large
financial costs to a community, and ethics proceedings can lead to
restitution, it is difficult to prove the full financial benefits of an
ethics program. This is not true of an IG office, since it deals
directly with instances of fraud and waste. This makes the ethics
program as a whole clearly appear like a smart investment of public
funds.<br>
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Four, making an IG office part of an ethics program ensures
coordination of ethics and criminal enforcement, so that
investigations can be shared rather than competing, and the best
decisions can be made with respect to where charges are brought.
Otherwise, there tend to be turf fights, and either the
criminalization of an ethics program or its being treated as a
second-class program.<br>
<br>
Robert Wechsler<br>
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics<br>
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