Dallas interim inspector general warns of staffing gaps, seeks case management system and forensic tools

Interim Inspector General Baron Eliasson told the City of Dallas Ethics Advisory Commission on Oct. 29 that the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is operating below its intended staffing level and is seeking a midyear budget adjustment to pay for a case management system and forensic tools.

Eliasson, who identified himself as serving as interim inspector general, said the office would have about 11 staff if fully filled and that it is currently “down three positions,” including investigator slots. He said investigators on staff are “doing great work” but the shortfall means each investigator is carrying a heavier caseload.

The OIG briefing came after the commission unanimously approved the minutes of its July 15 regular meeting. The approval motion was moved and seconded on the record and passed by unanimous voice vote.

Why it matters: Eliasson said the shortage of staff and investigative tools hampers the office’s ability to oversee and, when needed, proactively detect irregularities in city operations. Without a case management system, he said, staff must rely on an incident-tracking system and ad-hoc spreadsheets, which makes it difficult to see where cases are in the investigative pipeline at a glance.

Key details from the briefing:

- Staffing and workload: Eliasson said that if fully staffed the OIG would have about 11 employees and that two of five investigator slots are currently filled. He said investigators on average are working about 10 cases each.

- Caseload: The interim IG reported the office received 55 complaints in the prior 30 days; about 21 of those, he said, merited more than a cursory review. He also said roughly five cases had been referred to the OIG from the Dallas Police Department Public Integrity Unit (PIU).

- Case management and tools: Eliasson said a Business Requirements Document (BRD) has been signed to start procurement for a case management system but that procurement and IT review take time. While procurement proceeds, he said the office plans to use spreadsheets to track investigative steps and is seeking forensic/document-review tools to speed evidence review.

- Compliance with code requirements: The interim IG said OIG staff and the City Secretary’s Office have identified 22 specific compliance items tied to Chapter 12A (the city code chapter governing ethics) that need attention; he aims to have those addressed by Jan. 1. He said the work includes clarifying training, distribution of the code, and other procedural steps required by the ethics code.

- Law-enforcement authority and jurisdiction: Eliasson summarized prior legislative efforts to secure law-enforcement authority for the office (an effort that passed in a House committee but failed in the Senate) and said pursuing state legislation is a multi-year effort. He emphasized that when a matter appears to be criminal the OIG pauses administrative work and refers it to law enforcement (noting Garrity constraints) and that DPD’s PIU is the usual recipient for criminal referrals.

- Proactive data work and benchmarks: Citing examples from other large offices, Eliasson urged investment in data-analytic and forensic tools to detect procurement and contracting anomalies and said proactive work could identify problems that never become complaints.

- Accreditation and outreach: He announced plans to host an Association of Inspectors General (AIG) office review in April and urged commissioners to help publicize Ethics Week Nov. 17–20. He also said he is coordinating with council committees, notably the ad hoc Committee on General Investigations and Ethics chaired by Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Gaye Willis, for any proposed changes to Chapter 12A.

Quotes: “We are down three positions,” Eliasson said, describing the staffing gap. “We've received 55 cases that come into the office. ... I'd say 21 of the 55 need more than a cursory look.”

What the commission asked for: Commissioners asked for the list of the 22 compliance items; Eliasson agreed to circulate it. Members also pressed for clarity on what “final review” cases mean; staff said that designation refers to matters being prepared for possible referral to the EAC panel for a hearing or for managerial reports and that timing depends on investigator availability.

Next steps and limits: Eliasson said he will pursue procurement and a midyear budget adjustment to pay for tools and the AIG review. He cautioned that securing law-enforcement authority would require a state-legislative fix, a process that could take years. He also said that when an allegation has criminal aspects the OIG must stop administrative work and coordinate with DPD PIU or other law enforcement.

Ending: The commission received the briefing, asked follow-up questions, and set its next regular meeting for Jan. 26, 2026. The special call adjourned at about 10:41 a.m.