Office of Inspector General

The Office of Inspector General (OIG), was first established by the City Council in December 2021, and then added to the City Charter in November of 2024 to act as an independent investigative authority responsible for identifying, investigating, and resolving ethical issues within the city, including those related to fraud, waste, abuse, public corruption, and official misconduct.

Report Ethics Violations, Fraud, Waste, Abuse, or Corruption

Message from the Inspector General

Timothy MenkeInspector General

The government of this great city exists to serve you, and this principle may not be compromised in any way. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) is here as your watchdog to ensure that every city official and city employee, as well as those doing business with the city, complies with the city’s Code of Ethics and other applicable laws, so that you may be confident in our work and our services.

Ethics violations, fraud, and corruption have no place in the city. If you see ethics violations, fraud, corruption, or dishonest practices, please report it. Any abuse, no matter how small, tarnishes our city and harms us all.

Together, we can keep our city government as clean and honest as we want it to be. It is my honor to serve you in this capacity – please join me.

Pathways Along the Ethical Way

Read the Code

When you have a question about ethics your first step is to read the Code. We have a pocket guide to help you navigate to the correct section. Additionally, you may find Ethics Matters Newsletters that address your question, recording trainings on that topic, or request training on that subject for your division or department.

Request an Advisory Opinion

If you have looked at the Code of Ethics and still don’t know what to do you may request an advisory opinion.

Recusal Process

If you read the Code and recognize a conflict, there is a recusal process to follow.

Report Violations of the Code

If there is a violation of the Code, you must report that to the inspector general.

Overview

The OIG receives, investigates, and prosecutes complaints and makes initial determinations regarding complaints received through the Whistle fraud, waste, and abuse hotline and any other medium. Additionally, OIG provides training and information related to the Code of Ethics to city officials, employees, and others doing business with the city. The OIG is comprised of attorneys, investigators, and support staff with the skills and mindset to meet the task at hand. The OIG reports its progress in quarterly reports and to the Ethics Advisory Commission in (EAC) in its regular meetings.

The enforcement team is tasked with applying the Code of Ethics within the city, including city officials, employees, vendors, contractors, and others doing business with the city, and stands ready to receive, vet, and process potential allegations of misconduct involving ethics, fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption from filing a complaint to completion. Collectively, the team is comprised of individuals with backgrounds in fraud identification, case investigations, trial presentations, and ethics evaluations.

Persons subject to the Code, such as persons doing business with the city, City officials and city employees, are obligated to report potential misconduct involving ethics, fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption to this office and to cooperate with OIG investigations. The OIG is tasked with properly addressing all complaints and can refer cases to law enforcement or human resources when appropriate. The OIG is also tasked with broad jurisdiction to seek out fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption and has the authority to initiate its own investigations and enforce claims of retaliation in violation of the Code of Ethics.

The City of Dallas is committed to ensuring that city officials and employees make sound and ethical choices that cultivate an ethical environment that prioritizes the public interest. Through the promotion of ethical conduct and a service-first culture, the OIG is a foundational element in the focus on building a strong and ethical government for our residents.

Office of Inspector General Home Page