[Title 28 CFR E]
[Code of Federal Regulations (annual edition) - July 1, 2002 Edition]
[Title 28 - JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION]
[Chapter I - DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]
[Part 0 - ORGANIZATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE]
[Subpart E - 4--Office of the Inspector General]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
28JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION12002-07-012002-07-01false4--Office of the Inspector GeneralESubpart EJUDICIAL ADMINISTRATIONDEPARTMENT OF JUSTICEORGANIZATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Subpart E-4--Office of the Inspector General
Source: Order No. 2167-98, 63 FR 36847, July 8, 1998, unless
otherwise noted.
Sec. 0.29 Organization.
(a) The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is composed of the
Inspector General; the Deputy Inspector General; the Audit, Inspections,
Investigations, and Management and Planning Divisions; the Special
Investigations and Review Unit; and the Office of General Counsel.
(b) The OIG is headquartered in Washington, DC. Investigations Field
Offices and Audit Regional Offices are located in Washington, DC and
throughout the United States. For a listing of specific office
locations, see the OIG Internet Website at http://www.usdoj.gov/oig.
Sec. 0.29a General functions.
(a) The OIG is a statutorily created independent entity within the
Department of Justice subject to the general supervision of the Attorney
General that conducts and supervises audits, inspections, and
investigations relating to the programs and operations of the
Department; recommends policies to promote economy, efficiency, and
effectiveness and to prevent and detect fraud and abuse in Departmental
programs and operations; and keeps the Attorney General and Congress
informed about the problems and deficiencies relating to the
administration of the Department and the necessity for and progress of
corrective action.
(b) In order to carry out its responsibilities the OIG:
(1) Audits and inspects Department programs and operations as well
as non-Department entities contracting with or receiving benefits from
the Department;
(2) Investigates allegations of criminal wrongdoing and
administrative misconduct on the part of Department employees, as
provided in Sec. 0.29c of this subpart;
(3) Investigates allegations that individuals and entities outside
of the Department have engaged in activity that adversely affects the
Department's programs and operations;
(4) Undertakes sensitive investigations of Department operations
and/or personnel, often at the request of senior Department officials or
Congress.
Sec. 0.29b Reporting allegations of waste, fraud, or abuse.
Employees shall report evidence and non-frivolous allegations of
waste, fraud, or abuse relating to the programs and operations of the
Department to the OIG or to a supervisor for referral to the OIG.
Sec. 0.29c Reporting allegations of employee misconduct.
(a) Reporting to the OIG. Evidence and non-frivolous allegations of
criminal wrongdoing or serious administrative misconduct by Department
employees shall be reported to the OIG, or to a supervisor or a
Department component's internal affairs office for referral to the OIG,
except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section.
(b) Reporting to the Department's Office of Professional
Responsibility (DOJ-OPR). Employees shall report to DOJ-OPR evidence and
non-frivolous allegations of serious misconduct by Department attorneys
that relate to the exercise of their authority to investigate, litigate,
or provide legal advice. Employees shall also report to DOJ-OPR evidence
and non-frivolous allegations of serious misconduct by Department law
enforcement personnel that are related to allegations of misconduct by a
Department attorney that relate to the exercise of the attorney's
authority to investigate, litigate, or provide legal advice.
(c) Reporting to the Drug Enforcement Administration Office of
Professional Responsibility (DEA-OPR). Evidence and non-frivolous
allegations of serious misconduct by employees of the Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) shall be reported by the OIG to the Drug
Enforcement Administration Office of Professional Responsibility (DEA-
OPR) or to the Deputy Attorney General.
(d) Reporting to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Office of
Professional Responsibility (FBI-OPR). Evidence and non-frivolous
allegations of serious misconduct by employees of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI)
[[Page 22]]
shall be reported by the OIG to the FBI-OPR except as provided in
Sec. 0.29d of this subpart, or to the Deputy Attorney General.
[Order No. 2167-98, 63 FR 36847, July 8, 1998, as amended by Order No.
2492-2001, 66 FR 37903, July 20, 2001]
Sec. 0.29d Whistleblower protection for FBI employees.
(a) Protected disclosures by FBI employees. Disclosures of
information by an FBI employee that the employee reasonably believes
evidences a violation of any law, rule, or regulation, or mismanagement,
gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and
specific danger to public health or safety are protected disclosures
when they are reported as provided in Sec. 27.1 of this chapter. Any
office or official (other than the OIG or DOJ-OPR) receiving a protected
disclosure shall promptly report such disclosure to the OIG or DOJ-OPR.
The OIG or DOJ-OPR may refer such allegations to FBI-OPR for
investigation unless the Deputy Attorney General determines that such
referral shall not be made.
(b) Allegations of retaliation against FBI employees. Allegations of
retaliation against an employee of the FBI who makes a protected
disclosure shall be reported to the OIG, DOJ-OPR, or the Deputy Attorney
General.
[Order No. 2167-98, 63 FR 36847, July 8, 1998, as amended by Order No.
2492-2001, 66 FR 37903, July 20, 2001]
Sec. 0.29e Relationship to other departmental units.
(a) The OIG works cooperatively with other Department components to
assure that allegations of employee misconduct are investigated by the
appropriate entity:
(1) The OIG refers to DOJ-OPR allegations of misconduct within DOJ-
OPR's jurisdiction and may refer to another component the investigation
of an allegation of misconduct on the part of an employee of that
component;
(2) The OIG may refer to a Department component's internal affairs
office allegations of misconduct within that office's jurisdiction or
may investigate such allegations on its own;
(3) DOJ-OPR refers to the OIG allegations involving misconduct by
Department attorneys or investigators that do not relate to the exercise
of an attorney's authority to investigate, litigate, or provide legal
advice.
(4) The OIG and the FBI notify each other of the existence of
criminal investigations that fall within their joint jurisdiction to
investigate crimes involving the operations of the Department, except
where such notification could compromise the integrity of an
investigation;
(5) All Department components report to the OIG all non-frivolous
allegations of criminal wrongdoing and serious administrative misconduct
involving any of their employees except allegations involving Department
attorneys and investigators that relate to an attorney's authority to
litigate, investigate, or provide legal advice.
(6) At the request of the Inspector General, the Deputy Attorney
General may assign to the OIG a matter within the investigative
jurisdiction of DOJ-OPR. In such instances, the OIG shall either:
(i) Notify DOJ-OPR of its request to the Deputy Attorney General or
(ii) Request that the Deputy Attorney General determine that such
notification would undermine the integrity of the investigation nor
jeopardize the interests of the complainant.
(7) While an issue of investigative jurisdiction or assignment is
pending before the Deputy Attorney General, neither the OIG DOJ-OPR
shall undertake any investigative activity without authorization from
the Deputy Attorney General.
(b) OIG investigations that result in findings of potential criminal
misconduct or civil liability are referred to the appropriate
prosecutorial or litigative office.
(c) The OIG advises DOJ-OPR of the existence and results of any
investigation that reflects upon the ethics, competence, or integrity of
a Department attorney for appropriate action by DOJ-OPR.
(d) OIG investigations that result in findings of administrative
misconduct are reported to management for appropriate disposition.
[Order No. 2167-98, 63 FR 36847, July 8, 1998; 63 FR 40788, July 30,
1998, as amended by Order No. 2492-2001, 66 FR 37903, July 20, 2001]
[[Page 23]]
Sec. 0.29f Confidentiality.
The Inspector General shall not, during the pendency of an
investigation, disclose the identity of an employee who submits a
complaint to the OIG without the employee's consent, unless the
Inspector General determines that such disclosure is unavoidable in the
course of the investigation.
Sec. 0.29g Reprisals.
Any employee who has authority to take, direct others to take,
recommend, or approve any personnel action shall not, with respect to
such authority, take or threaten to take any action against any employee
as a reprisal for the employee making a complaint or disclosing
information to the OIG unless the complaint was made or the information
was disclosed with knowledge that it was false or with willful disregard
for its truth or falsity.
Sec. 0.29h Specific authorities of the Inspector General.
The Inspector General is authorized to:
(a) Conduct investigations and issue reports relating to criminal
wrongdoing and administrative misconduct of Department employees and
administration of the programs and operations of the Department as are,
in the judgment of the Inspector General, necessary or desirable;
(b) Receive and investigate complaints or information from an
employee of the Department concerning the possible existence of an
activity constituting a violation of law, rules, or regulations, or
mismanagement, gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a
substantial and specific danger to the public health and safety;
(c) Have direct and prompt access to the Attorney General when
necessary for any purpose pertaining to the performance of the functions
and responsibilities of the OIG;
(d) Have access to all records, reports, audits, reviews, documents,
papers, recommendations, or other material available to the Department
and its components that relate to programs and operations with respect
to which the OIG has responsibilities unless the Attorney General
notifies the Inspector General, in writing, that such access shall not
be available because it is necessary to prevent the disclosure of
(1) Sensitive information concerning ongoing civil or criminal
investigations or proceedings;
(2) Undercover operations;
(3) The identity of confidential sources, including protected
witnesses;
(4) Intelligence or counterintelligence matters; or
(5) Other matters the disclosure of which would constitute a serious
threat to national security or significantly impair the national
interests of the United States;
(e) Request such information or assistance as may be necessary for
carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the OIG from any office,
board, division, or component of the Department, and any Federal, State,
or local governmental agency or unit thereof;
(f) Issue subpoenas to individuals, and entities, other than Federal
government agencies, for the production of information, records, data,
and other documentary evidence necessary to carry out the functions of
the OIG;
(g) Obtain information from Federal government agencies by means
other than subpoena and advise the head of such agency whenever
information is unreasonably refused or not provided;
(h) Select, appoint, and employ such officers and employees as may
be necessary for carrying out the functions, powers, and duties of the
OIG;
(i) Employ on a temporary basis such experts and consultants as may
be necessary to carry out the duties of the OIG;
(j) Enter into contracts and other arrangements for audits, studies,
analyses, and other services with public agencies and with private
persons, and to make such payments as may be necessary to carry out the
duties of the OIG;
(k) Take from any person an oath, affirmation, or affidavit whenever
necessary in the performance of the functions of the OIG.
[Order No. 2167-98, 63 FR 36847, July 8, 1998, as amended by Order No.
2492-2001, 66 FR 37903, July 20, 2001]
[[Page 24]]
Sec. 0.29i Audit, inspection, and review authority.
The OIG is authorized to perform audits, inspections, and reviews of
the programs and operations of the Department of Justice and of entities
contracting with or obtaining benefits from the Department.
Sec. 0.29j Law enforcement authority.
Special Agents of the OIG are deputized on an annual basis as Deputy
United States Marshals at the direction of the Deputy Attorney General
and are authorized to:
(a) Detect and assist in the prosecution of crimes in violation of
the laws of the United States and to conduct such other investigations
regarding matters that are within the jurisdiction of the Inspector
General;
(b) Carry firearms;
(c) Seek and execute search and arrest warrants;
(d) Arrest without warrant any person committing any offense in the
presence of an OIG Special Agent or whom the Agent has reasonable
grounds to believe has committed or is committing a felony;
(e) Serve legal writs, summons, complaints, and subpoenas issued by
the Inspector General or by a Federal grand jury;
(f) Receive, transport, and provide safekeeping of arrestees and
other persons in the custody of the Attorney General, or detained
aliens.