A Prince George’s County study group this week called for its government to appoint an independent investigator to look into complaints of bribery, mismanagement and cronyism, as neighboring Montgomery County’s latest inspector general started up his duties.

“It won’t stop someone from acting wrongly, but it may uncover the truth sooner than later,” said William Missouri, a retired judge who served on the Accountability, Compliance and Integrity Advisory Board that recently presented its final report to County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D).

Baker created the six-member panel when he took office in December to find ways to offset rampant corruption in the county government that has persisted for more than a decade. When Baker took office, former County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) had just been arrested by federal agents for allegedly soliciting bribes from developers, and a continuing probe by the Department of Justice is expected to produce more arrests in association with the alleged conspiracy.

“Citizens and residents perceive there to be an absence of effective rules and regulations governing the ethical performance of the county’s elected officials,” the report states. “Though the board recognizes that thousands of local government employees have served, and continue to serve, in dedicated, honorable ways, it also realizes that the indictments of several local officials have strengthened this perception.”

In their report, panel members noted that for years those charged with investigating ethical violations and keeping up on potential conflicts by lawmakers were mostly powerless. An ethics board that handles reporting and advises lawmakers meets only one or two times a year and had several vacancies. Employees who suspected fraud had no way to anonymously report allegations, and its closest version of an inspector general, the Office of Audits and Investigations, is controlled by the County Council, the task force noted in its report.

The panel suggested creating an inspector general an appointed, government-paid watchdog who could look into any complaints of illegal or wasteful activity. The inspector general would be empowered to launch his or her own investigations and could subpoena lawmakers and county officials. Baltimore city and Montgomery County have inspectors general.

Having an independent investigator can be both expensive and controversial. In Montgomery County, former Inspector General Thomas Dagley resigned after six years on the job, citing a history of interference with his investigations by County Executive Isiah “Ike” Leggett (D).

The new Montgomery County Inspector General, Edward L. Blansitt III, began meeting with County Council members Thursday. The office has a $650,000 annual budget.

As in Montgomery County, the investigator in Prince George’s County must be allowed to operate independently and have a dedicated budget lawmakers can’t cut, said task force Chairman Kurt Schmoke.

Baker refused to say whether he supports creating the position, citing concerns about the cost of establishing a new agency to field complaints.

“We’ll act with all speed,” Baker said. “Notice I didn’t say all deliberate speed.”

Panel members also called on the establishment of a phone hot line through which whistle-blowers could report allegations and to beef up the county’s Board of Ethics to make sure it regularly meets with elected leaders to discuss ethics laws.

Schmoke, the former mayor of Baltimore city, said that it could be expensive to set up an office, which would require an unknown number of staff. Though Baltimore city has an inspector general now, it did not while he served as mayor from 1987 to 1999. Baltimore city pays $552,000 a year to a run a five-member in-house investigation team, said David McClintock, the Baltimore city inspector general.

dvalentine@gazette.net