Baltimore City Office of Inspector General Releases Annual Report

Increased investment by Mayor Rawlings-Blake enables expanded investigations and recovery of more taxpayer dollars

BALTIMORE, Md. (September 1, 2015)—Baltimore City’s Office of the Inspector General today released its annual report for Fiscal Year 2015, demonstrating that its work saved and recovered more than $2.3 million for taxpayers.

The expanded ability of the Office of the Inspector General to pursue more investigations and better protect public dollars comes following significant new investments by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who has more than doubled the office’s budget and staff as part of her commitment to build public trust in local government through greater transparency.

“Our goal is to serve as a major contributor in the effort to strengthen and maintain trust in City government and to assist the City in achieving better results with limited resources,” said Baltimore City Inspector General Robert H. Pearre, Jr. “We are committed to working toward an open, honest, and accountable government.”

In Fiscal Year 2015, the Office of the Inspector General received 182 cases for investigation through tips or other referral sources, an increase of 6 percent from Fiscal Year 2014 and more than twice the 79 cases in Fiscal Year 2013.

Since Mayor Rawlings-Blake took office, she has made ethics reform a top priority. In addition to increasing the budget and staff for the Office of Inspector General, she has restructured the Baltimore City Board of Ethics to make it more independent and tightened the ethics code for City employees.

“When I became Mayor, there was a significant lack of confidence in government and elected officials," said Mayor Rawlings-Blake. “The investments that I have made in the Office of the Inspector General demonstrate my commitment to rooting out fraud, waste and abuse.”

The report outlines a number of different cases successfully investigated by the Office of the Inspector General during the period of July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015, including ones referred for prosecution to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Office of the State’s Attorney. Notable cases have involved such City agencies as the Department of Public Works and the Department of Transportation.

The Office of Inspector General has also secured significant taxpayer savings through its investigation of fraudulent claims of injuries by City employees seeking workers’ compensation benefits or disability pensions.

To review the full Annual report, go to http://archive.baltimorecity.gov/files/FY2015_Annual_Report.pdf.