Audit and Accountability Bureau (AAB) is granted Departmental internal oversight authority by the Sheriff, and reports directly to the Undersheriff. With certain exceptions for in-progress criminal investigations, AAB is granted complete access to all Department records (manual or electronic), Department facilities, physical properties, and personnel relevant to audits and non-audit functions, including but not limited to all search warrants, confidential informant packages, arrest and incident reports, complaint inquiries, criminal investigations, administrative investigations, use of force investigations, electronic communications, personnel records, and any documents deemed necessary. All documents and information provided to internal auditors during an audit will be handled with confidentiality and due consideration.
In the furtherance of the Department’s commitment to both transparency and its cooperation with oversight agencies, the AAB is designated by the Sheriff as the primary organization within the Department to record and maintain document requests received from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the Civilian Oversight Commission (COC).
To ensure all oversight agency requests are tracked and fulfilled in a timely manner, Department personnel under the rank of chief are required to direct all oversight agency requests for records or other information to AAB. Department personnel holding the rank of chief or higher may, if deemed appropriate, provide information and or records directly to a requesting oversight agency; however, a copy of the oversight agency’s original request as well as any documents or records provided to the agency shall be promptly forwarded to AAB so that the request can be formally logged and tracked.
All oversight agency requests for documents shall be directly forwarded to AAB for tracking.
Additionally, AAB shall receive and record any requests by oversight agencies to access any Department maintained electronic records management systems and log the granting or denial of access.
NOTE: Notwithstanding the above, this policy does not prohibit Department personnel from communicating with oversight agencies to clarify what information is being requested in order to determine whether the Department possesses the information and is the appropriate entity to provide it to the requestor.