Sonoma County Government: Board Of Supervisors Approves Whistleblower Hotline To Prevent Fraud, Waste And Abuse In Local Government

Press release from the Sonoma County Government:

June 16, 2021

For Immediate Release CA

Suspected fraud, waste or abuse can be reported online at https://integritycounts.ca/org/countyofsonoma or via email to countyofsonoma@integritycounts.ca. Online reporting is the preferred method.

Reports also can be made by phone. County employees are asked to call (800) 921-6840, while members of the public and vendors should call (800) 916-8745.

“Whistleblowers and protections for whistleblowers help keep government, businesses and other institutions on the right side of the law,” said Sonoma County Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “There is no job more important than protecting the public interest from suspected wrongdoing. I urge any individual with evidence of abuse of authority, danger to public health and safety, or violation of any law, rule or regulation to find the courage to speak up and use this important resource for public good.”

“The County of Sonoma is committed to accountability, transparency, fairness, and the prudent use of public funds,” said Erick Roeser, Sonoma County Auditor- Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector. “One of my goals is to foster and maintain a work environment based on the principle of financial integrity and the whistleblower hotline is an important tool in achieving this goal.”

Examples of fraud, waste and abuse handled by the new program include missing cash, embezzlement, falsified documents, theft of equipment and supplies, vendor kickbacks, conflicts of interest, personal use of County assets and bribery, among others. The new hotline joins existing resources that are available to report suspected welfare fraud, law enforcement review, insurance fraud, Medi-Cal fraud, child protection, 24-hour emergency mental health and suicide prevention, safety hazards and code enforcement.

For more information about privacy considerations, additional hotline numbers or how to submit concerns, please visit: https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/ACTTC/Audit/Fraud--Waste--and-Abuse-Whistleblower-Hotline-Program/

Contact Information

County Administrator's Office County of Sonoma Accessibility Assistance Sonoma County COVID-19 Vaccine Information Suite 104A 38.464665, -122.725235 Google Maps™ Directions Sign Up for Press Release Updates Facebook Twitter

This press release was produced by the Sonoma County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.