Serving Oakland With Integrity
ANNUAL WHISTLEBLOWER PROGRAM REPORT
Fiscal Year 2019-2020

This week my Office released our Annual Whistleblower Report covering fiscal year 2019-2020 (July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020).

Since I took Office on January 7, 2019, whistleblower reports have increased over 233%. In the first nine months of 2020 we received 227 allegations, which projects to 286 allegations for 2020.

Read the Whistleblower Program Annual Report to learn about the types of allegations submitted in 2019-2020, the characteristics of the whistleblowers, the allegations that warranted investigation and the results of these investigations. Many hotline tips led to investigations that ultimately benefited the City, employees and our residents, by identifying and addressing lost revenue, broken processes, improper activities, and poor accountability to the public.

See the Whistleblower Program Summary Report below and learn more about the Whistleblower Program on our website.
INTERNATIONAL FRAUD AWARNESS WEEK 2020
November 15th-21st
It's the 20th Anniversary of International #FraudAwareness Week.

My Office joined the global effort to minimize the impact of fraud, waste and abuse by reminding City employees about our Whistleblower Program which seeks to detect, defend against, and deter improper activities within Oakland’s municipal government.

According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners’ 2020 Report to the Nations, receiving tips is the most common way that fraud is detected. The same report found that among organizations with fraud hotlines, 49 percent of substantiated cases originated from hotline tips. In the City of Oakland, a quarter of our tips come from employees.
 
City employees have special insight into the organization, and are uniquely positioned to bring issues forward that others may not notice—just as our Whistleblower Program Annual Report demonstrates!
THE WHISTLEBLOWER HOTLINE Serving our Oakland community

As a reminder, the Whistleblower hotline is available to Oakland's residents, businesses, and contractors.

We provide over-the-phone interpretation services in over 150 languages, with access to more than 5000 interpreters for non-English callers, who are available 24/7, 365 days a year. Whistleblowers can call the hotline directly (1-888-329-6390) or submit complaints online anonymously.

With Oaklanders' help, we can continue to foster the highest standards of ethical behavior within the City of Oakland.

So, if you see something - say something! Submit your tips here.
Have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!


Committed to serving you with the utmost integrity,
Courtney A. Ruby, CPA, CFE
City Auditor
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Independent City Auditor. Reporting Directly to the Residents.