Within Philadelphia's City Government, Integrity Officers Continue The Hunt For Corruption
By Mike Dunn
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Mayor Michael Nutter today honored 35 city employees who volunteer to help catch other city employees who may be involved in unethical practices.
The thirty-five city workers who serve as "integrity officers" today reaffirmed their oaths in a ceremony in the mayor's reception room.
Philadelphia inspector general Amy Kurland (at far right in photo) says every city department has such an officer, and anyone who may have information on illegal or inappropriate behavior can turn to them.
"They get to help make government more honest," Kurland said of the integrity officers. "They don't make any extra pay. We choose these people because of their integrity and work ethic. And they're generally very pleased to have the position -- it's an honor," she tells KYW Newsradio.
Kurland says the integrity officers are often in a difficult position: fielding information about colleagues that could lead to disciplinary action or even a criminal investigation.
"They're not permitted to even tell their supervisors or their commissioners what they're working on with us. So there's a lot of tension sometimes between their jobs in the department and the work they do for us."
She says despite that, of the 35 who were first sworn in four years ago, all but three continue to serve in that position.
