The OIG shall have the following powers and authorities:
(A) To receive and register complaints concerning misconduct in the operation of village government, including, but not limited to:
1. Misconduct in connection with the village's award of any contract, license or benefit;
2. Misconduct of any village employee for acts in the performance of his or her employment with the village;
3. Misconduct of any elected or appointed official of the village in the performance of his or her official duties;
4. Misconduct of contractors, vendors and professional service providers who furnish goods and services to the village;
5. Misconduct of persons and businesses seeking to do business with the village; and
6. Retaliation against any village employee or elected or appointed officials of the village based upon their cooperation with the OIG.
(B) To investigate misconduct in the operation of village government, either in response to such complaints or on the OIG's own initiative. The OIG acknowledges that it has read and understands the applicable provisions in state law (e.g., the uniform peace officers' disciplinary act 1 , and the fireman's disciplinary act 2 ), the village's police and fire department general orders and procedures and any collective bargaining agreements that govern conducting internal investigations of village police and fire personnel, and that failure to comply with the time periods and notice provisions regarding these internal investigations can result in the village being barred from prosecuting or taking employment related action against an employee for misconduct. It is agreed by the OIG and the village that investigations of the police or fire department employees by the OIG are subject to the applicable internal investigation provisions of state law, the village's police and fire department general orders and procedures and the applicable collective bargaining agreements. In conducting its investigations of alleged misconduct, the OIG agrees to cooperate with and assist the village attorney and/or the police or fire chief, as warranted and appropriate, including providing information, witness statements and other evidence, to allow the village to pursue disciplinary action against village employees under applicable state law, the village's personnel policies, the police and fire department general orders and procedures and applicable collective bargaining agreements. The same provisions above will govern any OIG investigations of alleged misconduct within other village departments, subject to the applicable state laws, policy manuals, departmental general orders and procedures and applicable collective bargaining agreements.
(C) To refer complaints and information regarding possible misconduct to the president and board of trustees, the village attorney and other outside law enforcement agencies, including, but not limited to, the United States' attorney's office, as warranted and as appropriate. The OIG's referral of complaints and information regarding possible misconduct to the president and board of trustees and the village attorney, as warranted and appropriate, shall be done in order to ensure that appropriate discipline may be imposed in accordance with applicable state laws, general policies, departmental orders and procedures and applicable collective bargaining agreements.
(D) To obtain information from, and conduct interviews under oath with village employees, agents, contractors and persons doing or seeking to do business with the village for the purpose of investigating potential misconduct.
(E) To make recommendations for corrective action to the president and board of trustees and the village attorney with respect to combating misconduct.
(F) To provide periodic reports to the president and the board of trustees and the village attorney as to the status of matters within the scope of OIG's authority, to the extent such reporting would not impair the integrity of ongoing investigations.
(G) To maintain an OIG hotline number and e-mail address in order to facilitate citizen and employee reports of misconduct.
(H) In the event of any grievance arbitration or hearing before the village board of fire and police commissioners arising from disciplinary charges or actions taken by the village against a village employee based upon the results of an OIG investigation, the OIG will fully cooperate with the village in the prosecution of the disciplinary action or defense of the grievance arbitration. (Ord. 1935, 7-6-2016)
Notes
| 1 | 1. 50 ILCS 725/1 et seq. |
| 2 | 2. 50 ILCS 745/1 et seq. |