Reports

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Portland Fire & Rescue: Community Health Division programs need guidance and leadership to provide Portlanders with the services they need and reduce demands on firefighters

Our audit identified gaps in the Fire Bureau’s management of the Community Health Division, worsened by an inconsistent commitment to its programs. We make recommendations to articulate goals, plans, and monitor its programs to best serve Portlanders and offset demands on traditional fire crews.

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Fraud Hotline Report: Civic Life’s mismanagement of the Kenton Firehouse was wasteful and inefficient

The Auditor's Office found evidence of waste and inefficiency due to the lack of a formal agreement and Civic Life bypassing City financial policies in the management of the Kenton Firehouse. Auditors also found that the lack of documented rental transactions risked the appearance of fraud.

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Fraud Hotline Report: City’s repeated installation of curb ramps was inefficient and wasteful

The Auditor’s Office found evidence of waste and inefficiency in project management stemming from unclear responsibilities and miscommunication throughout a curb replacement project.

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Ombudsman recommends Urban Forestry revisit fees and regulations governing certain development permit reviews

After a complaint, the Ombudsman investigated how Urban Forestry reviews some development permits for compliance with street tree planting standards. In December, the Ombudsman sent a memo to Parks Director Adena Long identifying concerns with the review fee and the clarity of City Code provisions.

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Portland Bureau of Transportation: Process in place to ensure capital projects meet specifications, but there were ways around it

Transportation had a formal process to document inspections before making payments, but staff were able to work around steps. Supervisors didn’t have procedures to identify allowable exceptions. We make recommendations to ensure staff follow the process and that supervisors are aware of exceptions.

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Fraud Hotline Report: Tips about Transportation manager alleged government waste and abuse

The Auditor’s Office found evidence of waste and abuse when investigating tips about vehicle use and outside employment in the Transportation Bureau. We shared our findings and recommendations with the Transportation Bureau.

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2022 Ombudsman Annual Report

We're your Rose City Watchdog and we're here to make sure City government treats residents and businesses fairly. See what we were up to in 2022.

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2022 Fraud Hotline Annual Report

The Auditor’s Office Fraud Hotline provides City employees and members of the public a way to confidentially report suspected fraud, waste, and abuse of position by or against the City.

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Fraud Hotline Report: Purchasing problems lead to inefficiency and mistrust

The Auditor’s Office found evidence of inefficiency when investigating a tip about sole source contracting by the Community Safety Division. We shared our findings and recommendations to Community Safety and Procurement Services, which provided guidance and training to the Division.

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Ombudsman submits brief on illegal tow and destruction of boat

The purpose of the brief was to provide important additional context on a case being considered by the Hearings Office.

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Ombudsman recommends ceasing Water Bureau's "first-caller rule" to Commissioner Mapps

The Ombudsman recommended that the Water Bureau cease the practice of the “first-caller rule,” which allows landlords to commit their renters to pay services without their knowledge or consent.

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Portland Fire & Rescue does not have a coherent accountability system

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 and complaint, investigation, and discipline processes to help ensure that the Bureau achieves its diversity goals.

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Domestic Violence Response: Special Victims Unit benefits from collaboration with partners, but patrol officers need more training

The City Auditor’s Independent Police Review (IPR) found that the Portland Police Bureau’s Special Victims Unit benefits from co-location and collaboration with service partners but officers responding to the initial calls need more trauma-informed training.

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2021 Annual Report

Our annual report for 2021 describes changes in workload, regaining compliance with the Department of Justice, and summarizes a policy review of how language services are used by the Police Bureau.

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Fraud Hotline Report: Funds wasted at veteran apartment complex

The Joint Office spent over $850,000 in rent to house needy veterans but allowed the property to deteriorate into unsafe, unsanitary conditions leaving the office scrambling to find new shelter. Without adequate oversight, the office risks wasting money intended to aid Portlanders without housing.

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Quarterly Report – Q1 2022

View Independent Police Review's 1st quarterly report of 2022.

Updated Report


Lessons Learned: City’s response to protests exposed vulnerabilities in Portland’s police accountability system

The 2020 murder of George Floyd sparked more than 100 nights of protest in Portland. Complaints of officer misconduct at these events exposed inadequacies with the City’s ability to hold officers accountable. We recommend operational and policy improvements to strengthen the accountability system.

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Police Intelligence-Gathering and Surveillance: Better management needed to protect civil rights

Keeping information about political activity and using surveillance technology without safeguards infringes on First Amendment rights. Police need direction about what to collect and a process to manage records when there is no criminal activity. The Bureau also needs improved technology policies.

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Portland Clean Energy Fund: Additional steps needed to implement voter-approved program

Voters approved a tax to create the Portland Clean Energy Fund in 2018 as an ambitious way to tackle climate change and social inequities. This audit found that the program began putting management systems in place but other elements were not yet implemented or needed direction from City Council.

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