OIG FAQ's

What does the Office of the Inspector General do?

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is the City of Albuquerque’s independent agency providing objective insight, oversight, and foresight to advance integrity and accountability within the City government to safeguard and preserve the public trust.
The OIG conducts investigations, inspections, evaluations, and reviews, established by AIG Standards, as a means to promote accountability, enhance the effectiveness of government services to its citizens, and ensure the lawful, and efficient administration of the City of Albuquerque.
The OIG receives and assesses complaints of fraud, waste, or abuse and initiates investigations, inspections, evaluations, or reviews to provide transparency and accountability.

OIG Mission

To preserve the public trust and to provide transparency for accountability.

OIG Jurisdiction

The OIG investigates allegations of fraud, waste, or abuse of City of Albuquerque employees, elected officials, committee and board members, vendors, and subcontractors who do business with the City of Albuquerque.
The OIG does not investigate matters concerning the conduct of the City of Albuquerque Police Department. The Civilian Police Oversight Agency (CPOA) has jurisdiction in these matters.
The OIG does not investigate matters that are the subject of pending litigation.

Does the OIG have subpoena power?

Yes, the OIG has the power to issue subpoenas, which principally assists the office in obtaining documentation from third parties. With respect to documentation possessed by the City of Albuquerque, the OIG Ordinance requires the City departments and employees to provide the OIG unrestricted access to all City offices, employees, records, information, data, reports, plans, projections, matters, contracts, memoranda, correspondence, electronic data, property, equipment, and facilities and any other materials within their custody.

To whom does the OIG report?

The Office of the Inspector General is created as an independent and non-partisan office of the City government. The Office is not part of the City’s executive branch or the City Council. The Inspector General shall report to the Accountability in Government Oversight Committee.
The OIG is ultimately responsible to the City of Albuquerque Taxpayers.

How is the Inspector General selected?

The Accountability in Government Oversight Committee shall interview and submit, to the City Council, a list of three of the best-qualified candidates, ranked. The City Council shall appoint the Inspector General from the three candidates.

In lieu of recommending three candidates to the Council, the Accountability in Government Oversight Committee may recommend to the Council the reconfirmation of the incumbent Inspector General. If the Council declines to reconfirm the incumbent Inspector General, the Council President will notify the Committee that it needs to provide the Council with three alternate candidates.

When to File a Complaint

A complaint should be filed when any of the following are suspected by a City employee, elected official, board/commission member, or any contractor with the City.

Evidence of fraud, waste, abuse, or mismanagement
Suspected misappropriation/misuse of City assets
Suspected theft or other disappearance of cash, check, or property
Suspected misconduct including the intentional failure to perform a required duty or obligation or performing a duty or obligation incorrectly or illegally.
Suspected improper actions
Suspected non-compliance with federal and state law, City ordinances, and City rules and regulations.
Suspected conflicts of interest
Retaliation arising from participation in an investigation

How to File a Complaint

Complaints can be filed with the OIG in the following ways:

In-person at 400 Civic Plaza, 5^th Floor, Suite 5025, Albuquerque, NM 87103
By written letter to P.O. Bo 1293, Suite 5025, Albuquerque, NM 87103
By email Staff Contact Information
By email to [email protected]
By Tip hotline 505-768-4TIP (4847)
By telephone 505-768-3160
Reporting Form
By scanning the OIG QCR code
Report to 311 (should specify OIG matter)

Information to Provide When Filing a Complaint

The more you can tell us, the better chance we have of determining whether a crime, misconduct, or waste has occurred.

It is especially helpful to know facts about the alleged matter, such as:

Description of the fraud, waste, or abuse
Location where the fraud, waste, or abuse took place
When the fraud, waste, or abuse took place
How the fraud, waste, or abuse was committed
Why the person committed the fraud, waste, or abuse (if known)
Who else has knowledge of the potential violation

May I file a complaint anonymously?

Yes, you can choose not to provide any identifying information (name, address, etc.) when you submit a complaint. Please note, however, that opting to remain anonymous precludes the OIG from investigating a whistleblower retaliation complaint and may hinder the OIG from thoroughly reviewing and addressing an allegation.

Is information provided to the OIG confidential?

Investigation files and Investigation Reports are confidential and shall not be divulged to any person or agency, except to the United States Attorney, the New Mexico Attorney General, the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office, or any other bona fide law enforcement or investigatory agency, or as otherwise required by law, until the report is published, unless it is necessary for the Inspector General to make such records public in the performance of their duties or it is necessary to prevent harm or loss to the City or its employees.

Does the OIG open an investigation on every complaint reported?

No, the OIG will assess each reported allegation and those meeting the criterion will be prioritized based on the potential impact and the office's staffing capabilities. Complaints not addressed by the OIG may be referred to City Departments, Law Enforcement, or other agencies as deemed appropriate.

What if I fear I may lose my job for filing a complaint with the OIG?

The City of Albuquerque Ordinances makes it a criminal violation for any City Officials or employee to retaliate against, punish, or penalize any other person for complaining to, cooperating with, or assisting the Inspector General in the performance of their office.

What can I expect when a complaint is made to the OIG?

The OIG will review the complaint, determine jurisdiction, and assess the allegations for fraud, waste, or abuse. If an investigation is warranted, the OIG will determine potential violations of law, rule, policy/procedure, or contract terms, assign an investigator, conduct preliminary inquiries, and conduct fieldwork. You may be contacted by the investigator for an interview.

The OIG will not discuss the status of ongoing investigations.

How long will an investigation take?

As our work progresses, often, we are presented with additional information that we must investigate. We follow reasonable leads with due diligence, making it impossible for us to predict how long an OIG inquiry or investigation will take.

Can an employee discuss an OIG investigation with non-OIG personnel?

No, if you are asked to be interviewed or to provide documentation to an OIG investigator the subject of the inquiry must not be disclosed, and any investigations concerning fraud, waste, or abuse shall remain confidential until a final report is published.

What does the OIG do with substantiated allegations?

The OIG provides findings and recommendations to the Department Director or other Appropriate Officials for corrective action. The OIG will conduct a follow-up with the Department on the corrective action taken for each finding.
The OIG will refer criminal findings to the State Auditor, law enforcement, and the appropriate prosecuting agency.
The OIG may refer the findings to the State Ethics Commission.

How does the OIG address accountability?

The OIG brings transparency to issues so City Officials can hold responsible parties accountable.
The OIG will conduct a follow-up with the Department on the corrective action taken for each finding issued in a report.
The OIG presents completed corrective actions once all findings have been addressed for an investigation to the Accountability in Government Oversight Committee.
The OIG includes a list of all unresolved corrective actions in its periodic report to the Accountability in Government Oversight Committee. The OIG’s annual report presented to the City Council includes the list of all unresolved corrective actions at year-end.

How does the OIG share report findings?

Findings are included in the published OIG report.

Obtaining a Ropy of Reports?

Anyone can receive published OIG reports by completing the report distribution signup on the OIG web page.

Contact for Questions

If you have questions about the investigative process, you may contact the OIG at 505-768-3160.