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Louisiana State Inspector General in 2014 and Beyond LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE INSPECTOR GENERAL (OIG) Criminal White Collar & Public Corruption Investigations Slide 2 History of Louisianas State Inspector General Created by Executive Order in 1988 Mission to investigate fraud, waste and abuse in executive branch No permanence under law, which meant year-to-year existence and very little independence No subpoena power No statutory confidentiality of investigations Slide 3 No power No profile No independence No investigation / law enforcement background Problem Areas When I Arrived Slide 4 Established IG under law and made it permanent Moved from Division of Administration to Governors Office Statutory mission to investigate fraud and corruption Subpoena power and confidentiality of investigations Inspector General appointed for 6 year term Inspector General cannot be removed without the Governor and majority vote of House and Senate La. R.S. 49:220.21 et seq Slide 5 Inspector Generals salary cannot be reduced by the Governor or Legislature Legislature must adequately fund the IG to effectively and efficiently carry out its mission Inspector General cannot have held elected office for two years prior to appointment and cannot run for office for 4 years after leaving Inspector General must obtain CIG certification La. R.S. 49:220.21 et seq Slide 6 IG is now a criminal law enforcement agency that: Has access to confidential law enforcement databases Can conduct joint investigations with FBI, Attorney General, State Police, and other law enforcement agencies Confidentiality of investigations now stands alone in the statute Reports now final on IG signature La. R.S. 49:220.21 et seq Slide 7 LAW ENFORCEMENT La. R.S. 49:220.24 (J) Access to confidential law enforcement databases, such as NCIC and LBCII Obtain and execute search warrants Obtain arrest warrants Investigation Division Special Officer Commissions Authorized to carry firearms Joint investigations Slide 8 LAW ENFORCEMENT La. R.S. 49:220.24 (K) Upon credible information of corruption or fraud, the Inspector General shall notify appropriate law enforcement agencies. May participate in joint criminal investigation Reserve Investigator Program (ACT 783) Hazardous Duty Retirement Slide 9 CONFIDENTIALITY La. R.S. 49:220.25 Except for reports of investigations as provided for in R.S. 49:220.24 (C) (6), the records prepared or obtained by the inspector general in connection with investigations conducted by the inspector general shall be deemed confidential and protected from disclosure. This confidentiality is unqualified PRIVILEGES ARE NOT, repeat NOT WAIVED It is a criminal misdemeanor offense for anyone to violate this confidentiality Public records remain public Slide 10 Toll-Free Hotline 1.866.801.2549 Slide 11 Keep In Mind When Conducting Investigations Slide 12 You only have credibility once Slide 13 So what have we been up to? http://oig.louisiana.gov/ http://oig.louisiana.gov/ Slide 14 Q uestions & Answers Q Slide 15 THANK YOU!! Stephen B. Street, Jr. Louisiana State Inspector General 602 North 5 th Street, Suite 621 Baton Rouge, LA 70801 Telephone: 225-342-4262 Blackberry: 225-978-9348 Facsimile: 225-342-6761 E-mail: Stephen.Street@la.govStephen.Street@la.gov