SEC. 12A-47. OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
(a) Powers and duties. The office of the inspector general serves as an independent investigative authority in regard to ethics and official misconduct. The inspector general has the following powers and duties:
(1) Seek out and initiate investigations into misconduct involving ethics, fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption of city officials, city employees, and persons doing business with the city.
(2) Receive and investigate complaints and anonymous tips alleging:
(A) violations of the laws, ordinances, and rules in Section 12A-50(a)(2); and
(B) fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption within the city.
(3) Submit quarterly reports to the ethics advisory commission, the city council, the city auditor, and the city manager detailing the findings of investigations completed by the inspector general.
(4) Prosecute alleged or suspected violations of the laws, ordinances, and rules in Section 12A-50(a)(2) before the ethics advisory commission and recommend appropriate disciplinary action.
(5) Issue subpoenas in accordance with Paragraph (b)(2).
(6) Make recommendations to the ethics advisory commission that complainants are vexatious and recommend appropriate sanctions for vexatious complainants.
(7) Supervise a chief integrity officer to administer and manage the Integrity Officer Program.
(8) Investigate and enforce claims of retaliation in violation of this chapter.
(b) Investigations.
(1) Except as provided in this subsection, the inspector general has broad authority to initiate investigations, either as the result of a tip received, or upon observing suspicious conduct or documentation. Investigations initiated by the inspector general shall be treated as complaints received by the inspector general, following the same complaint process in Section 12A-52.
(2) For the purpose of conducting investigations authorized by this chapter, the inspector general shall subpoena witnesses and compel the production of books, papers, and other evidence material in the same manner as is prescribed by the laws of this state for compelling the attendance of witnesses and production of evidence in the corporation court. A person receiving a subpoena in accordance with this section may, before the return date specified in the subpoena, petition the corporation court for a motion to modify or quash the subpoena. Refusal to appear or to produce any document or other evidence after receiving a subpoena pursuant to this paragraph is a violation of this chapter subject to sanctions as described in Section 2-9 of the Dallas City Code.
(3) The inspector general shall not commence or continue an investigation involving alleged conduct that is the subject of pending civil or criminal litigation, and shall instead postpone such investigation pending:
(A) the conclusion of any claim or civil litigation involving the alleged conduct; and
(B) if grand jury proceedings are anticipated, the conclusion of all grand jury proceedings relating to the alleged conduct.
(c) Quarterly reports. The inspector general shall submit quarterly reports to the ethics advisory commission, the city council, the city attorney, the city auditor, and the city manager detailing the findings and conclusions of all completed investigations, whether initiated by the inspector general or initiated as a result of a formal complaint or anonymous tip. The report shall summarize all completed investigations, including dismissals, approved settlement agreements, and the disposition of prosecutions. For investigations that have been dismissed, the reports shall not include the names of complainants or of persons investigated by the inspector general.
(d) Integrity Officer Program.
(1) Purpose.
(A) The Integrity Officer Program provides support to city departments and offices by ensuring that city employees and persons doing business with the city comply with the Code of Ethics and adhere to all ethical standards and reporting requirements.
(B) The city manager, city secretary, city attorney, and city auditor shall designate a liaison to assist the chief integrity officer with ethics training and the Chief Integrity Program.
(2) Chief integrity officer. The inspector general shall supervise a chief integrity officer to coordinate with city departments and offices to provide training related to integrity, transparency, and accountability within city government. The duties of the chief integrity officer shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(A) Administer and manage the Integrity Officer Program under the supervision of the inspector general.
(B) Develop and implement training programs and other communication with city officials, city employees, and persons doing business with the city that reinforce ethical conduct and the requirements of the code of ethics.
(C) Assist the city attorney, inspector general, ethics advisory commission, and city manager on matters of ethics, including proposing amendments to the Code of Ethics.
(D) Notify all city departments and offices of any significant amendments to the Code of Ethics.
(E) Annually distribute a plain- language guide to the Code of Ethics to all city officials, employees, and registered lobbyists.
(F) Assist the inspector general in the enforcement of the Code of Ethics.
(G) Promote a culture of ethics within the city. (Ord. Nos. 32072; 32472; 32924)
