Elected-in-charge in 2022: Jo Ann Hardesty
Bureau or Office Director: Chief Sara Boone
We are tracking one report and nine recommendations
Our 2022 Fire Bureau audit examined the Bureau's accountability systems.
All recommendations are pending.
Highlight from Last Year
There was no activity in 2022.
To Do
We recommended developing methods and guidance to ensure that investigations into employee misconduct are consistent, impartial, and timely. The Bureau should adopt guidance for investigations that: outlines clear instructions on how to conduct investigations; documents Human Resources’ role in investigations; ensures investigators are trained and have the time needed to conduct investigations; addresses possible issues unique to the Fire Bureau, such as familiarity bias; sets timeliness benchmarks for key investigative steps; includes instructions to help investigators streamline the process; requires investigations to be periodically reviewed to identify inconsistencies or missed benchmarks; and requires complainants and investigated employees to be notified when investigations are completed.
Portland Fire & Rescue does not have a coherent accountability system
Report published June 29, 2022 | Contact Jenny Scott
We found that the Portland Fire Bureau has not invested the time, attention, and resources needed for a coherent employee accountability system. We make recommendations for training, complaint investigation, and discipline processes to help ensure that the Bureau achieves its diversity goals.
This is a new audit with nine recommendations pending follow-up.
Pending Recommendation Details
We recommended implementing the Portland State University workplace culture study recommendations on training and norm-setting. (Portland Fire & Rescue does not have a coherent accountability system)
We recommended verifying that all employees complete training on prohibited conduct in the workplace, as required by City rules. (Portland Fire & Rescue does not have a coherent accountability system)
We recommended developing methods and guidance to ensure that employees and the public understand how to file complaints and have access to multiple reporting options, including one for anonymous complaints. (Portland Fire & Rescue does not have a coherent accountability system)
We recommended developing methods and guidance to ensure that managers and supervisors know procedures for complaint-handling, including how they are documented, routed, and tracked. (Portland Fire & Rescue does not have a coherent accountability system)
We recommended developing methods and guidance to ensure that complaints are centrally and accurately recorded in a format that enables trends to be identified and evaluated for intervention, training, and policy changes, and that this analysis is performed. (Portland Fire & Rescue does not have a coherent accountability system)
We recommended developing methods and guidance to ensure that investigations into employee misconduct are consistent, impartial, and timely. The Bureau should adopt guidance for investigations that: outlines clear instructions on how to conduct investigations; documents Human Resources’ role in investigations; ensures investigators are trained and have the time needed to conduct investigations; addresses possible issues unique to the Fire Bureau, such as familiarity bias; sets timeliness benchmarks for key investigative steps; includes instructions to help investigators streamline the process; requires investigations to be periodically reviewed to identify inconsistencies or missed benchmarks; and requires complainants and investigated employees to be notified when investigations are completed. (Portland Fire & Rescue does not have a coherent accountability system)
We recommended developing methods and guidance to ensure that discipline decisions are predictable, fair, consistent, and prompt. (Portland Fire & Rescue does not have a coherent accountability system)
We recommended developing methods and guidance to ensure that improvements to the workplace made as a result of complaints, investigations, and discipline are periodically communicated to employees to show that the accountability system is working. (Portland Fire & Rescue does not have a coherent accountability system)
We recommended encouraging employees to report harassment, discrimination, racism, and retaliation. The option to report directly to Human Resources should be clear and promoted in case employees are not comfortable reporting up the chain-of-command. Supervisors and managers who fail to forward such complaints to Human Resources should be disciplined, as required by City rule. (Portland Fire & Rescue does not have a coherent accountability system)
Data Notes
At the end of every audit report, we issue a series of recommendations intended to make programs work even better. This report includes the status of Bureau recommendations since 2018, which was the beginning of our new follow-up process. We prepared it with a few audiences in mind:
- City Council can use it to identify bureaus that may need additional resources or support in order to implement recommendations.
- Bureau directors can use it to assess bureau performance and to determine if any changes in policy or procedure are necessary.
- Bureau management and staff can use it to track recommendation status across audits to develop work plans and priorities.
- General public can use it to monitor the status of recommendations related to topics of interest and to compare performance across bureaus.
This report includes recommendation status as of December 31, 2022.
Translated reports
Most reports are available in four languages: Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Russian. We are translating new reports as they’re released, but older reports may not be available in a language other than English. If you would like to request a translated version of a report, please contact KC Jones.
Links
Portland Fire & Rescue does not have a coherent accountability system