A Phony "Inspector General" at Clerk of Courts Office?

St. Johns County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller Hunter Conrad's website now claims to have an "Inspector General." Is this cosmetics and semantics, rebranding the Clerk's existing limited waste, fraud and abuse investigator?  As recently as April 4 & June 12, the website still called it a waste, fraud and abuse investigator, without claiming to be an "Inspector General."

In response to my repeated requests since 2008, asking St. Johns County Commission to create an independent Inspector General, County Administrator Michael David Wanchick angrily said in May that there's a waste, fraud and abuse inspector in the compliant Clerk's office.  Now it's been renamed "Inspector General," sans fanfare or explanation.

Does this putative "IG" lack independence, report to an elected Republican, lack teeth, guns or badges or prosecutorial abilities that true IGs have in local, state and federal governments?

We shall see.

Meanwhile, note that contrary to assurances given by County Administrator MICHAEL DAVID WANCHICK in the Roper report, this office does NOT assist people with concerns about discrimination or retaaliation.

Here's the putative "IG" website.

Inspector General

Public Integrity Unit

Hotline:	(866) 272-4351
Fax:	(904) 819-3696
Address:	SJC Clerk of Court & Comptroller
	Attn: Inspector General/Public Integrity Unit
	3501-B N. Ponce de Leon Blvd., #373
	St. Augustine, FL 32084
Email:	fwa@sjccoc.us

Policy

The Office of Inspector General of the St. Johns County Clerk of Court and Comptroller is interested in receiving information, or anonymous tips, confidentially from employees, contractors, and members of the public. We take seriously our responsibility to evaluate your concerns regarding fraud, waste, and abuse, and conduct investigations, when appropriate.

The Clerk of Court and Comptroller, having the responsibility of accounting and audit of county funds and resources, conducts investigative audits of suspected inappropriate activity. If an investigative audit substantiates that a fraudulent act has occurred, the Inspector General will notify the Clerk of Court and appropriate County officials. When the substantiated fraudulent action has criminal implications, the Inspector General will notify the enforcement agency according to jurisdiction, and assist in any preparation and presentation of criminal findings in a court of law.

It is the intent of the Legislature to prevent agencies or independent contractors from taking retaliatory action against an employee who reports to an appropriate agency violations of law on the part of a public employer or independent contractor that create a substantial and specific danger to the public’s health, safety, or welfare. It is further the intent of the Legislature to prevent agencies or independent contractors from taking retaliatory action against any person who discloses information to an appropriate agency alleging improper use of governmental office, gross waste of funds, or any other abuse or gross neglect of duty on the part of an agency, public officer, or employee. These protections are detailed in Sections 112.3187-112.31895 of the Florida Statutes.

Definitions

• Fraud – a dishonest and intentional course of action that results in obtaining money, property, or an advantage to which the individual committing the action would not normally be entitled. Examples of fraudulent actions include forgery, misappropriation of funds, alteration of records, accepting gifts of material value from vendors, providing services or materials of the County for personal benefit, or other actions like these.

• Waste – the needless, careless, or extravagant expenditure of County funds, incurring of unnecessary expense, or inefficient use of County resources or property.

• Abuse – the intentionally wrongful or improper use of County resources that can include the excessive or improper use of one’s position, in a manner contrary to its rightful or legally intended use.

Here's what the website looked like on April 4 & June 12, 2017 (source: Internet wayback machine):

Fraud, Waste & Abuse

Hotline:	(866) 272-4351
Fax:	(904) 819-3696
Address:	SJC Clerk of Court & Comptroller
	3501-B N. Ponce de Leon Blvd., #373
	St. Augustine, FL 32084
Email:	fwa@sjccoc.us

Policy

The St. Johns County Clerk of Court and Comptroller’s Fraud, Waste and Abuse Unit is interested in receiving information, or anonymous tips, confidentially from employees, contractors, and members of the public. We take seriously our responsibility to evaluate your concerns regarding fraud, waste, and abuse, and conduct investigations, when appropriate.
The Clerk of Court and Comptroller, having the responsibility of accounting and audit of county funds and resources, conducts investigative audits of suspected inappropriate activity. If an investigative audit substantiates that a fraudulent act has occurred, the Auditor will notify the Clerk of Court and appropriate County officials. When the substantiated fraudulent action has criminal implications, the Auditor will notify the enforcement agency according to jurisdiction, and assist in any preparation and presentation of criminal findings in a court of law.
It is the intent of the Legislature to prevent agencies or independent contractors from taking retaliatory action against an employee who reports to an appropriate agency violations of law on the part of a public employer or independent contractor that create a substantial and specific danger to the public’s health, safety, or welfare. It is further the intent of the Legislature to prevent agencies or independent contractors from taking retaliatory action against any person who discloses information to an appropriate agency alleging improper use of governmental office, gross waste of funds, or any other abuse or gross neglect of duty on the part of an agency, public officer, or employee. These protections are detailed in Sections 112.3187-112.31895 of the Florida Statutes.

Definitions

• Fraud – a dishonest and intentional course of action that results in obtaining money, property, or an advantage to which the individual committing the action would not normally be entitled. Examples of fraudulent actions include forgery, misappropriation of funds, alteration of records, accepting gifts of material value from vendors, providing services or materials of the County for personal benefit, or other actions like these.

• Waste – the needless, careless, or extravagant expenditure of County funds, incurring of unnecessary expense, or inefficient use of County resources or property.

• Abuse – the intentionally wrongful or improper use of County resources that can include the excessive or improper use of one’s position, in a manner contrary to its rightful or legally intended use.