Controller's office reports rise in whistleblower reports; audits team launches tip line and system upgrades

The City Services Auditor's office told the committee that its whistleblower program received more reports in fiscal year 2019-20 than in prior years, is improving closure rates, and has created a dedicated public-integrity tip line to support a joint public-corruption inquiry.

Mark Dela Rosa and acting audit manager Dave Jensen presented the program's annual report and noted that the office released a quarter-one FY21 update the same morning. Jensen said the program received 599 new reports in FY19-20 (a 19% increase from the prior year), closed 585 reports with an average closure time of 64 days, and closed 79% of closed reports within 90 days. Of the 318 reports closed after investigation that year, 106 (33%) resulted in corrective or preventative actions by departments.

In response to recent federal criminal charges involving a former Public Works director, the controller and the city attorney established a public integrity tip line managed by the whistleblower program; Jensen said the tip line had collected 60 tips through the end of the first quarter of FY21. The program said it will continue quarterly reporting and is upgrading an eight-year-old case-management system to improve intake, accessibility and reporting capabilities.

Committee liaisons praised program staff for professional handling and thorough investigations. Liaisons also proposed an independent benchmarking study and an employee survey to assess city employees' confidence in the hotline; staff said such work would require procurement and staff time but is permissible under the committee's oversight budget and could proceed when staff resources allow.

The committee did not take formal action on the report; liaisons and staff said they would coordinate future oversight activities and potential independent reviews.