Sec. 602.303. - Duties and Functions.

The duties and functions of the Office of Inspector General shall include the authority, power and responsibility to: (a) Review and evaluate internal controls to protect the resources of the entire Consolidated Government against waste, fraud, inefficiency, mismanagement, misconduct, and other abuses; (b) Audit, evaluate, investigate and review past and present the activities, accounts, records, contracts, procurements, change orders, grants, agreements, and other programmatic and financial arrangements undertaken by any office, agency, department, or part of the entire Consolidated Government, and any other function, activity, process or operation conducted by any office, agency, department, or part of the entire Consolidated Government; its officials and employees, contractors, their subcontractors and lower tier subcontractors, and other parties doing business with any office, agency, department, or part of the entire Consolidated Government, or receiving funds from any office, agency, department, or part of the entire Consolidated Government; (c) Conduct investigations, audits, contract oversight and reviews, issue reports, and make recommendations in accordance with applicable laws, rules, regulations, policies and past practices. Audits, investigations, inspections and reviews conducted by the Office of Inspector General will conform to professional standards for Offices of Inspector General such as those promulgated by the Association of Inspectors General; in accordance with current International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing as published by the Institute of Internal Auditors, Inc., or where appropriate, in accordance with generally accepted governmental auditing standards. The Office of Inspector General shall develop and adhere to written policies in accordance with Florida accreditation standards for Inspector Generals; (d) Receive full and unrestricted access to the records of any and all officials and employees, contractors, including their subcontractors and lower tier subcontractors, of any office, agency, department, or part of the entire Consolidated Government and other parties doing business with any office, agency, department, or part of the entire Consolidated Government or receiving funds from any office, agency, department, or part of the entire Consolidated Government; (e) Receive, review, and investigate any complaints regarding projects, programs, contracts or transactions of any office, agency, department, or part of the entire Consolidated Government; (f) Establish a "hotline" to receive complaints, from either anonymous or identified persons; (g) Review referrals from the Director of the Office of Ethics Compliance and Oversight; (h) Require all officials, employees, and contractors, their subcontractors and lower tier subcontractors, and other parties doing business with any office, agency, department, or part of the entire Consolidated Government or receiving funds from any office, agency, department, or part of the entire Consolidated Government to provide statements; administer oaths; and, require the production of documents, records and other information. In the case of refusal by an official, employee or other person to obey a request by the Office for documents or for an interview, the Inspector General shall have the power to subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, and require the production of documents; (i) In the case of refusal to obey a subpoena served to any person, the Inspector General may make application to any court of competent jurisdiction to order the witness to appear before the Inspector General and to produce evidence, or to give testimony relevant to the matter in question; (j) Where the Inspector General suspects a possible violation of any State, federal or local law, he or she shall notify the appropriate law enforcement agencies; (k) The Mayor and any and all Officials and employees of any office, agency, department, or part of the entire Consolidated Government, except for employees of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, shall promptly notify the Inspector General of possible mismanagement of a contract (misuse or loss exceeding $5,000 in public funds), fraud, theft, bribery, or other violation of law which appears to fall within the jurisdiction of the Inspector General, and may notify the Inspector General of any other conduct which may fall within the jurisdiction of the Inspector General. Employees of the Council Auditor's Office are exempt from disclosing any information obtained during an audit until the audit is complete and the audit report has been issued to the City Council; (l) Engage in prevention and outreach activities, including but not limited to: develop public awareness to inform government officials and employees, as well as the general public, of the authority and responsibility of the Office; (m) Recommend remedial actions to be taken by any office, agency, department, or part of the entire Consolidated Government to overcome or correct operating or maintenance deficiencies and inefficiencies that were identified by the Office; (n) Issue an annual report to the Ethics Commission, the Inspector General Selection and Retention Committee, Mayor, the Council and deliver to the full City Council and the Inspector General Selection and Retention Committee a verbal briefing on activities of the Office every six months; (o) Monitor implementation of the recommendations made by the Office; (p) Monitor, inspect and review, without limitation, the operations, activities, performance, and procurement processes including, but not limited to, bid specifications, bid submittals, activities of the contractor, their subcontractors and lower tier contractors, its officers, agents and employees, lobbyists, officials and staff of any office, agency, department, or part of the entire Consolidated Government, in order to ensure compliance with contract specifications and detect waste, fraud and abuse; (q) Be notified in writing prior to any duly noticed public meeting of a procurement selection committee where any matter relating to the procurement of goods or services by any office, agency, department, or part of the entire Consolidated Government is to be discussed; (r) Establish policies and procedures to guide functions and processes conducted by the Office; (s) Reserved; (t) Exercise any of the powers contained in this Chapter upon his or her own initiative; (u) The Office records related to active audits, investigations and reviews shall be confidential and exempt from disclosure, as provided by F.S. § 112.3188(2) and Ch. 119; (v) The Inspector General is considered the "appropriate local official" of the City for purposes of whistleblower protection provided by Section 112.3188(1), Florida Statutes; (w) The Inspector General has the power to appoint, employ, and remove such other personnel as is deemed necessary for the efficient and effective administration of the activities of the office. All such appointees shall serve at the pleasure of the Inspector General and shall be exempt from civil service; and (x) To enforce this Chapter by all means provided by law, including seeking injunctive relief in the Fourth Judicial Circuit Court in and for Duval County. (Ord. 2014-519-E, § 5; Ord. 2016-332-E , § 4; Ord. 2016-360-E , § 1; Ord. 2018-262-E , § 1; Ord. 2025-257-E , § 1)