Independent Audit & Investigation ServicesAdding Value & Improving County Operations
Division of the Inspector General
Accredited Office of Inspector General By the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, Inc.
The mission of the Division of Inspector General is to promote accountability and integrity in government and preserve the public trust by providing independent and objective audits, investigations, and consultations designed to add value and improve the County's operations. We strive to educate citizens and policymakers regarding the operation of their government.
The Division of Inspector General provides risk-based and objective assurance, advice, and insight to help the County accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of governance, risk management, and control processes. To facilitate the prevention and detection of fraud, waste, and abuse, the Division of Inspector General also conducts investigations, coordinating with law enforcement and other investigative agencies, as warranted. The scope of the Division of Inspector General's authority includes any operation under the direction of the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller (Clerk) or the Board of County Commissioners (BCC). It also includes other functions for which the BCC provides financial support as separate entities in its budget, or for which the BCC is the ex-officio governing body. The Division of Inspector General has also established cooperative partnerships with other County agencies in which we provide project specific services.
The Clerk and Comptroller of Pinellas County serves as the ex-officio County auditor per constitutional and statutory provisions. The Clerk and Comptroller established the Division of Inspector General to fulfill this responsibility as it relates to audit and investigation functions, an important check and balance. To provide for the highest degree of independence, Division of Inspector General staff report to the Inspector General/Chief Audit Executive, who reports functionally and administratively to the Clerk and Comptroller. Since the Clerk and Comptroller is an elected Constitutional Officer, and thus responsible to the citizens and taxpayers of Pinellas County, the Clerk and Comptroller is considered to be independent.
Contact Us At:
Division of Inspector General 510 Bay Ave. Clearwater, FL 33756 (727) 464-8371 Fax: (727) 464-8386 Email: divinspector@mypinellasclerk.gov Map Link
Inspector General's Organizational Chart
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Posters
Report Fraud, Waste or Abuse of a Person's Subject to Guardianship Assets 11"x17"
Report Fraud, Waste or Abuse of County Resources 11"x17" Ads
Report Fraud, Waste or Abuse of a Person's Subject to Guardianship Assets 3.5"x4.5"
Report Fraud, Waste or Abuse of County Resources 3.5"x4.5"
Rack Cards & Brochures
Audit Services Rack Card 4"x9", double-sided
Public Integrity Unit Rack Card 4"x9", double-sided
Fraud Policy Brochure Tri-fold
To report fraud, waste and abuse, complete the web form below. You may also mail, call, fax or e-mail the Inspector General.
Write: Public Integrity Unit Division of Inspector General 510 Bay Ave. Clearwater, FL 33756
Call: (727) 45FRAUD (453-7283)
Fax: (727) 464-8386
E-mail: fraudhotline@pinellascounty.org
Complaint Intake Process
Upon receipt of a complaint, a preliminary review of the allegations is made to determine jurisdiction and the probability that the alleged acts could have occurred. Credible complaints outside of the Inspector General’s jurisdiction are referred to the appropriate agency. Program-related, personnel, or administrative matters often do not result in an investigation being opened. In these situations, we refer the complaint, when appropriate, to the proper County department. Complainants who provide contact information receive notification whether the complaint will be investigated.
By virtue of the Whistle-blower's Act, employees who report suspected wrongdoing or fraudulent activities meeting the definition in the Whistle-blower’s Act (Sections 112.3187 – 112.31895, Florida Statutes) are protected from retaliation by management or other employees.
Referrals are made to the State Attorney when evidence suggests that a criminal activity has or may have occurred.
Persons reporting fraud, waste, and abuse directed against the County must provide sufficient details to facilitate an investigation. Immediate reporting is necessary while facts are still fresh in the mind of the complainant. All reports must answer the questions who, what, when, where, why, and how.
Providing supporting documentation directly related to the complaint assists in timely preliminary review and a more efficient investigation, if warranted. We may not be able to investigate complaints that are too vague or cannot be corroborated.
You may remain anonymous. Providing your contact information is subject to the Public Records Laws of Florida.
Pinellas County Fraud, Waste & Abuse Policy Pinellas County Administrative Directive 19-1, Office of the County Administrator Homestead Exemption Fraud Pinellas County Housing - Authority’s Fraud Reporting You Have A VOICE - Report Cybercrime
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Economic Crimes Unit(report identity theft, financial fraud, or crimes against the elderly) - (727) 582-6200
Consumer Protection, Pinellas
http://pinellascounty.org/consumer/default.htm
Florida Department of Children and Families
Circuit 6 Community Development Administrator 11351 Ulmerton Road, Largo, FL 33778 (877) 595-0384 Circuit 6 Contacts
Medicaid or Food Stamp Problems (813) 558-5500 or 1(866) 762-2237 Online here.
Housing Assistance Problems in Pinellas County
Florida Department of Elder Affairs Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
West Coast District Office 11351 Ulmerton Road, Suite 303 Largo, FL 33778 (727) 588-6912 Fax: (727) 588-3648 Serving Pasco and Pinellas Counties
Consumer Services (Department of Financial Services) State of FL http://www.myfloridacfo.com/OnGuard/ContactUs.htm
To report Guardianship fraud, waste and abuse, complete the web form below. You may also mail, call, fax or e-mail the Inspector General.
Public Integrity Unit - Guardianship Section
Professional auditors/investigators of the Division of Inspector General’s Guardianship Section support the Clerk and Comptroller's Probate Division staff to augment the Court's oversight process applicable to the protection of persons' subject to guardianship assets pursuant to Chapter 744, Florida Statutes. In coordination and cooperation with the General Magistrates of the Probate,Guardianship, and Mental Health Division of the Florida Sixth Judicial Circuit Court (Court), the Inspector General conducts varying levels of audits and financial investigations related to guardianship reports and activities.
Upon receipt of a complaint against a guardian, a preliminary review of the allegations is made to determine jurisdiction and gather pertinent guardianship case information. Complaints outside of the Inspector General’s jurisdiction are referred to the appropriate agency. The Court is notified of jurisdictional complaints and determines the appropriate action which may include appointing the Division of Inspector General to investigate.
Persons reporting guardianship fraud, waste, and abuse must provide sufficient details to facilitate an investigation. Immediate reporting is necessary while facts are still fresh in the mind of the complainant. All reports must answer the questions who, what, when, where, why, and how.
Providing supporting documentation directly related to the complaint assists in timely preliminary review and a more efficient investigation, if warranted. Complaints that are too vague or cannot be corroborated may not be able to be investigated.
If you suspect physical abuse, please contact:
Florida Department of Children and Families 1 (800) 96-ABUSE (962-2873) TDD: 1 (800) 453-5145 FAX: 1 (800) 914-0004 www.dcf.state.fl.us/abuse/howtoreport.shtml www.dcf.state.fl.us/abuse
Guardianship Fraud, Waste or Abuse Complaint Report a situation of concern and identify persons or entities responsible below. Submission DateMonth - Day - YearWho (Person(s) Involved and Contact Information): First NameLast Name Phone Number:Area CodePhone NumberAddress: Relationship to Person Subject to Guardianship (Guardian, Family Member, etc.):Name of Person Subject to Guardianship:Address of Person Subject to Guardianship:Guardianship Case Number: What Happened, How Did It Happen, & Why (Upload Supporting Documentation): FilenameSizeProcessStatusSummary: Evidence: Scheme: Motive: When & Where Did It Happen Date:Month - Day - YearTime: 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Hour : 00 05 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 Minutes AM PM Frequency:Location: Street Address Street Address 2 City State / Province Postal / ZipCode Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic East Timor Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard and McDonald Islands Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Korea Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda S. Georgia and S. Sandwich Islands Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and The Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea Soviet Union Spain Sri Lanka St. Helena St. Pierre and Miquelon Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay US Minor Outlying Islands US Virgin Islands Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Yugoslavia Zaire Zambia Zimbabwe Country Captcha
Report a situation of concern and identify persons or entities responsible below.
When & Where Did It Happen
Statewide Investigation Alliance web page
About Florida’s Guardianship Partnership
Florida’s Court Clerks and Comptrollers have partnered with the Florida Department of Elder Affairs’ Office of Public & Professional Guardians (OPPG) to investigate legally sufficient complaints against professional guardians statewide, effective October 1, 2016. This statewide partnership is known as the Statewide Investigation Alliance (SIA).
As an SIA member, the Division of Inspector General’s staff of independent and professional auditors/investigators reinforces the following:
Legally sufficient complaints about the conduct of professional guardians made to the OPPG after March 10, 2016, will be referred to an SIA member for investigation.
OPPG can take administrative action on violations of Standards of Practice for Professional Guardians effective on June 23, 2017.
Investigative findings of substantiated allegations of violations by professional guardians prior to June 23, 2017, could also be reported to the Court, the Clerk and Comptroller, and may be referred to law enforcement, the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of the State Attorney, or The Florida Bar, as appropriate.
Who We Are
The Office of Public & Professional Guardians (OPPG), housed within the Department of Elder Affairs, appoints local public guardian offices as directed by statute to provide guardianship services to persons who do not have adequate income or assets to afford a private guardian and there is no willing family or friend to serve. The OPPG, which contracts with 17 local Offices of Public Guardianship throughout Florida, is also responsible for the registration and education of professional guardians. Since 2016, the program has expanded its responsibilities to include regulating approximately more than 550 professional guardians statewide, which includes investigating, and if deemed appropriate, the discipline of guardians in violation of law. The OPPG can be reached by calling (850) 414-2381 or by email at OPPGinfo@elderaffairs.org.
Controls located in the bottom right of each dashboard can be helpful for some customers.
*Please note - users can cross-filter select visuals by interacting with different parts of them, which can change how the data is displayed. This can be undone by clicking the same part of any visual twice. Users can also drill down using select visuals to change how the visual is displayed by hovering over them and clicking the buttons displayed on the visual header. Keep in mind, in this report, this only applies to visuals displaying counts of cases over a period of time.
