City Council questions DOI on outreach, training and low use of whistleblower protections

The Committee on Oversight and Investigations questioned Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber at a City Council hearing about DOI's efforts to encourage city employees to report suspected corruption, including the agency's training programs, complaint-processing procedures and the scope of legal whistleblower protections.

The hearing focused on whether DOI's education and outreach match the statutory obligations that flow from Mayoral Executive Order 16 and the city's whistleblower law, and whether DOI has the staffing and data to reach the city's roughly 300,000 municipal and contract workers.

Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber told the committee that DOI emphasizes both a "must report" obligation and protections under the city's whistleblower law. "City employees are integral to DOI's anti corruption mission and are fundamental to creating a culture of integrity in municipal government. DOI cannot accomplish its mission without them," Strauber said.

Strauber gave specific operational figures: DOI recorded more than 12,300 complaints in fiscal year 2022, more than 13,500 in fiscal year 2023 and over 14,600 in fiscal year 2024. She said roughly 14'16 percent of complaints in fiscal years 2022'24 came from people who self-identified as city employees, and that the agency's online and in-person training reached tens of thousands: 23,395 completed DOI's…