Most government agencies have an internal compliance officer, and the term “inspector general” refers to a title rather than a rank. The director of the agency where the inspector general will work usually appoints him or her. In most cases, the IG will be given authority to employ a team of inspectors and special agents to carry out the office’s mission.
Inspectors for the Inspector General are non-law enforcement officials who are tasked with auditing and inspecting agency policies and procedures in order to prevent waste and abuse. Inspector general’s special agents have full law enforcement authority, including the ability to conduct criminal investigations, carry weapons, make arrests, and serve warrants. Despite the fact that most inspectors general’s mission is to act as an internal enforcement body, many IG offices have responsibilities that bring them into contact with the general public. Special agents of the US Department of Education’s inspector general, for example, are in charge of investigating allegations of federal student aid fraud.
The Inspector General Act of 1978 outlined the IG’s duties and responsibilities for regulating and ensuring compliance of US federal workers and programs. Since then, various inspectors general have saved millions of dollars in fines and recovered revenue for US taxpayers. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Department of Commerce, Department of Defense (DOD), and US Postal Service are among the US agencies and departments that have an IG office (USPS). Amtrak, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the Peace Corps are all quasi-government organizations that have an IG office.
Because each government agency has its own set of policies and guidelines, having an inspector general who understands the needs of each agency is preferable to having one person oversee the entire federal government. By dividing the task of internal regulation among each agency, each IG can perform its duties more efficiently in relation to its corresponding agency of responsibility. Because the CIA and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) have different needs and responsibilities, the IG from one could be at a disadvantage if asked to investigate matters involving the other.
Any agency’s IG ensures that his or her organization operates with the highest level of professionalism and integrity possible. He or she protects taxpayers by ensuring that public funds are not misappropriated or wasted. On behalf of the taxpayers he or she serves, the IG also ensures that government employees under his or her supervision are honest and efficient.