Jacksonville implements changes after Inspector General’s Office questions property security

Jacksonville, FL — The City of Jacksonville has made some changes in how the Fleet Management department keeps City property secure, after an Office of Inspector General’s report questions the procedures that had been in place.

The Report of Investigation issued Tuesday focuses specifically on a complaint that had been submitted about a Fleet Management employee, but found other more broad concerns as well.

Investigation on employee 

The tip initially came to the OIG in October 2016, saying Heavy Vehicle Technician Crew Leader Bradley Burnett had driven a personal vehicle with a City of Jacksonville license plate to work. The person who filed the complaint believed the COJ license plate had been stolen. OIG has “substantiated” the allegation that Burnett used a COJ plate on a personal vehicle.

The OIG says Burnett drove a personal vehicle with a COJ plate to work on two occasions, despite not owning or being authorized to use the plate. With the plate, he allegedly drove one of two decommissioned COJ vehicles he had bought through online auctions. There is no issue with Burnett’s ownership of the decommissioned vehicles, but he did not have them registered or have any license plates for them. He told investigators he thought one of the vehicles had come with the COJ plate, although the OIG says photos and procedures show that’s not the case. In fact, the OIG report says records show the plate was originally attached to a JFRD rescue truck that had been decommissioned about a year prior.

The investigative report says Burnett admitted to two superiors that his personal car had broken down and he used the COJ plate and former COJ vehicle to get to work. Those supervisors told the OIG that Burnett seemed remorseful and knew what he did was wrong. They determined oral counseling was the appropriate course of action, and Burnett turned in the plate within a few days.

Burnett allegedly said something different in his interview with the OIG, though. The OIG report says he initially denied driving either of the decommissioned vehicles, then later admitted to driving one once, then saying he drove one on two days. The OIG says they determined the statements overall to be “inconsistent and untruthful”.

Because of those statements- which the OIG likened to obstructing their investigation or potentially perjury- the OIG brought the case to the State Attorney’s Office, who decided to charge Burnett with petit theft and attaching a tag not assigned to a vehicle- both misdemeanor charges. Jail records show Burnett was arrested April 27th, 2017 and released the same day. The OIG says he entered a pretrial intervention program deferred prosecution agreement which requires 20 hours of community service and $650 in court costs. Court records show there is a review of his pretrial intervention scheduled for September 6th.

Lack of internal controls investigation

Over the course of this investigation, the OIG found greater concerns about the Fleet Management compound and procedures overall. Specifically during several site visits, they saw unsecured COJ plates stacked in plain view in the body shop, walked around the compound without being approached by an employee or security, and saw a non-City owned vehicle parked among the City-owned vehicles.

The OIG was told the COJ plates on decommissioned vehicles were gathered in unsecure containers and dropped off every few months with the Tax Collector’s Office to be canceled and destroyed. There were no records kept regarding which plates were surrendered, nor were there written policies about the removal and retention of the plates, according to the OIG. Additionally, the OIG was told in recent years- contrary to prior practice- a Notice of Sale was no longer being given to Fleet Management, who would give it to the Tax Collector’s Office to show the City no longer possessed the vehicle.

In response to the OIG report, the Mayor’s Office says they’ve established and implemented a written standard operating procedure for acquiring and surrendering vehicle tags. Notices of Sale are also being provided to the Tax Collector’s Office once again. As for security on the compound, the Mayor’s Office response says Fleet Management is working with the Public Buildings division to ensure security is adequate.

Burnett was given the opportunity to respond to the OIG Report, but none has been received.