JOSEPH M. FERGUSON INSPECTOR GENERAL
CITY OF CHICAGO OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 740 NORTH SEDGWICK STREET, SUITE 200 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60654 TELEPHONE: (773) 478-7799 FAX (773) 478-3949
TO THE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, CITY CLERK, CITY TREASURER, AND RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO:
Enclosed for your review is the public report on the operations of the City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (OIG) during the second quarter of 2020, filed with City Council pursuant to Section 2-56-120 of the Municipal Code of Chicago.
OIG, like many City departments, has maintained full operations since the onset of. the COVID-19 crisis and the resulting restrictions on public, commercial, and government activities. The vast majority of OIG's activities can and have continued using remote, telework platforms. The greatest limitation on operations arose from the dedication of personnel and resources for COVID-19 assistance to the City's emergency response operations. Approximately 15 percent of OIG personnel were detailed to COVID-19 emergency operations that included the management of Hotel Julian, providing temporary respite to COVID-exposed police officers (and eventually other first responders), staffing support for COVID-related intake operations, and the standing up of contact tracing operations. In addition to emergency detail assignments, other OIG staff provided project-based assistance related to data systems and analysis for emergency food and equipment distribution, among other things. As legal and regulatory standards typically require OIG to conduct its work independent of the operation of the rest of the City, the organization is grateful for the opportunity to have worked with countless City employees and officials in service of the public during this unprecedented challenge.
The other noteworthy external challenge to operations during this quarter arose from the demonstrations and unrest that ensued nationwide following the killing of George Floyd...
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