Department of Inspector General

The Okaloosa County Clerk of Circuit Court Department of Inspector General was established by charter of the Okaloosa County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller in January 2015. The mission of the Department of Inspector General is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government operations by providing independent and objective investigative and audit services to the citizens of Okaloosa County. 

The Department of Inspector General is led by an Inspector General appointed by the Clerk. The Department’s authority includes any operation under the direction of the Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller or the Board of County Commissioners departments under the control of the County Administrator. It also includes other functions for which the BCC provides financial support.

The Department’s goal is to preserve public trust in government. The Department strives to achieve this goal by maintaining the highest standards of professionalism. The Department of Inspector General is accredited by the Commission for Law Enforcement Accreditation. Accreditation is the certification by an independent reviewing authority that an agency has met specific requirements and prescribed standards. Accredited agencies are required to be reassessed every three years. The Department of Inspector General was initially accredited in February 2017 and re-accredited in February 2020.

Inspector General Initiatives

Investigative and Audit Services
The Department of Inspector General is committed to the prevention and detection of misuse of county resources as well as ensuring an effective system of internal controls. The Department strives to provide value added investigations and audits to help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government operations.

Guardianship
When an individual is determined to be incapacitated, a Guardianship is often created. Okaloosa County currently has over 400 Guardianship cases. The Clerk of Courts’ responsibility to audit Guardianship case filings can be found in Chapter 744, Florida Statues.

Statewide Investigative Alliance
In 2016, the Florida legislature expanded the responsibility and authority of the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, Office of Professional and Public Guardians (OPPG). The newly adopted legislation requires OPPG to investigate allegations of suspected wrongdoing perpetrated by public and professional guardians. The Okaloosa County Clerk of Courts, in partnership with six other Inspector General Offices, has formed a Statewide Investigative Alliance through a memorandum of understanding with OPPG to perform these investigations. The statewide investigative alliance is unique to Florida and is currently being studied by other states as a means of combating fraud in guardianships throughout the country.