INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Office of Inspector General. The information provided on this site is designed to let the reader know about the functions of this office and to inform the reader how to contact the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Office of Inspector General (OIG) in person, by mail, or telephone.

In person:	2331 Phillips Road, Tallahassee, Florida
By mail:	Office of Inspector General Florida Department of Law Enforcement Post Office Box 1489 Tallahassee, Florida 32302-1489
Telephone:	(850) 410-7000

OVERVIEW

FDLE's Office of Inspector General was organized in the fall of 1988 following the passage of revisions to Chapter 20, Florida Statutes (F.S.). Section 20.055 (2), Florida Statutes states, “The Office of Inspector General is hereby established in each state agency to provide a central point for coordination of and responsibility for activities that promote accountability, integrity, and efficiency in government.” Section 20.055 (3)-(5), F.S. requires each state agency to employ an Inspector General (IG) to conduct and report findings of financial, compliance, electronic data processing and performance audits of the agency in accordance with auditing standards.

The OIG is organizationally aligned under the Commissioner's Office. All members assigned to the OIG are, therefore, organizationally independent of other Departmental entities/programs subject to audit. The OIG follows standards set forth in relevant Department Policies; the OIG Audit Procedures Guide; Government Auditing Standards, 2007 Revision, (GAGAS) issued by the Comptroller General of the United States, Government Accountability Office and the Principles and Standards for Offices of Inspector General, May 2004 Revision, issued by the Association of Inspectors General. Copies of final Audit Reports are forwarded to the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) for their review. Every three years, the OAG conducts a quality assessment review of the work produced by the OIG and issues a report to the Commissioner as to the agency's compliance with appropriate auditing standards. These reviews can be viewed at: http://www.state.fl.us/audgen/.

PERFORMANCE-BASED PROGRAM BUDGETING

Section 11.513, F.S. requires the OIG to work with the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) to develop a plan for monitoring and reviewing FDLE's major programs to ensure that performance data are maintained and supported by agency records. The implementation date for the first performance-based program budget for FDLE was July 1, 1996. The OIG is required by s. 20.055, F.S. to advise in the development of performance measures, standards, and procedures for the evaluation of FDLE programs. Also, the OIG is statutorily instructed to periodically assess the reliability and validity of the information provided for performance measures and standards, and make recommendations for improvement.

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITIES

Within the FDLE OIG, the Audit Section is responsible for conducting internal audits, management reviews, and special projects as determined by the Inspector General based upon an annual Risk Assessment of the agency. Additional assignments may be made by the Executive Director, or at the request of an Executive Policy Board member. Internal and external investigations are conducted by, or coordinated with, the Office of Executive Investigations.

The Accreditation Standards and Compliance Section coordinates FDLE's State and National accreditation efforts, and facilitates policy development. FDLE was the first State agency in the nation to become accredited by CALEA (Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies) and the first State agency to be accredited by CFA (Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation). FDLE has been awarded subsequent reaccreditation by both the National and State accrediting bodies since 1990 and 1996, respectively. FDLE currently holds accredited status with 460 National standards and 256 State standards. Section 20.055 (6)(b), F.S. also directs the OIG to “receive and consider the complaints which do not meet the criteria for an investigation under the Whistle-blower's Act and conduct, supervise, or coordinate such inquiries, investigations, or reviews as the inspector general deems appropriate.”

Per Section 23.30(4), F.S., the OIG has been designated as responsible “for facilitating the resolution of customer complaints, including any customer complaints regarding unsatisfactory treatment by department employees.”

STAFF

The current nine member staff for the OIG includes the following positions: The Inspector General, Assistant Inspector General, Director of Auditing, Office Operations Manager, Inspector, and four (4) Senior Management Analyst II positions.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS & TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

In an effort to maintain the highest quality products, each member of the OIG directly involved in conducting audits is a member of the local chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) http://www.theiia.org/chapters/index.cfm?cid=103. The world's leader in certification, education, research, and technological guidance for the profession, the Institute serves as the watchdog and resource on significant auditing issues around the globe.

Some members also maintain membership in the local and national chapters of the Association of Inspectors General (AIG) http://www.inspectorsgeneral.org/mc/page.do. The Association of Inspectors General consists of Inspectors General and professional staff in their agencies, as well as other officials responsible for inspection and oversight with respect to public, not-for-profit, and independent sector organizations. FDLE's Inspector General is a Certified Inspector General (CIG), having attained certification from the AIG in March 2004.

OIG members who conduct audits are required by GAGAS to attend a minimum of eighty hours of audit related training every two years. Much of this training is provided by the local chapter of the IIA and the AIG at little cost to the agency. OIG members who are certified sworn law enforcement officers must also comply with appropriate ongoing sworn officer training requirements.

SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVED ECONOMY, EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS

The OIG's goal is to make FDLE's programs, processes and procedures as economical, efficient and effective as possible given the agency's resources. If you have a suggestion for improving the economy, efficiency or effectiveness of any FDLE program, process, or procedure, please forward it to the OIG for consideration.

OIG WEB SITE COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS

Comments or suggestions regarding the information appearing on this site should be made to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Office of Inspector General.