(A) The Office of the Inspector General is created as an independent and non-partisan office of city government. The Office is not part of the city's executive branch or the City Council. The Inspector General shall report to the Committee.
(B) The Inspector General shall manage a staff of professional investigators, and others operating at the direction of the Inspector General that may include evaluators, reviewers, inspectors, contract specialists.
(C) The Inspector General shall coordinate referrals deriving from external sources and work planned based on internal assessments, wherever appropriate and necessary with the City Auditor and other potentially relevant regulatory, law enforcement, or prosecutorial authorities.
(D) The Office of the Inspector General shall be funded from the General Fund. Adequate funding shall be provided to uphold the ability of the Office of the Inspector General to carry out its duties and support its staff and operating expenses.
(E) The Office of the City Attorney shall advise and represent the Office of the Inspector General, except that the Office of the Inspector General may select independent legal counsel from the conflict counsel list maintained by the Office of the City Attorney, or other attorney selected with the assistance of and through the City Attorney's office.
(F) The Inspector General shall establish the organizational structure appropriate for carrying out the responsibilities and functions of the Office of the Inspector General.
(G) The Inspector General shall have, subject to appropriation by the City Council, and within the guidelines and criteria set by city personnel rules and regulations, the power to recruit, hire, appoint, employ, set compensation for, promote, discipline, and remove such assistants, employees, and personnel and establish personnel procedures as deemed necessary for the efficient and effective administration of the activities of the Office of the Inspector General.
(H) The Office of the Inspector General shall provide staff support to the Committee.
(I) Neither the Inspector General nor any employee of the Office of the Inspector General shall engage in any partisan political activities or the political affairs of the city during work hours.
(J) The Inspector General shall strive to adhere to the "Association of Inspectors General Principles and Standards for Offices of Inspector General" and participate in the Peer Review Process by seriously pursuing any recommendations resulting from such a process.
(Ord. 30-2010; Am. Ord. 2023-018)