Denver soon will launch a financial fraud hotline to give city and county employees an avenue to anonymously report malfeasance.
City Controller Beth Machann says she is negotiating with a potential vendor to provide live operators around the clock as well as a way for workers to submit tips about suspected fraud online.
The hotline, suggested by the city’s independent financial auditing firm to improve security, will have a narrow focus on collecting tips about theft or misuse of city assets, corruption and fraudulent financial reporting.
She said she hoped to finalize details and notify the city’s thousands of employees about the new hotline by the end of June.
An internal screening committee — made up of representatives of the city auditor, the city attorney, the human resources chief and the controller — will review the tips provided by the vendor, Machann said.
The third-party company — which Machann declined to name, since the contract isn’t final — is a key part of the appeal. Employees currently can feed tips to City Council members and other elected officials, but there is no assurance of anonymity.
And, as Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz pointed out during a committee hearing Wednesday, “there was no way for us to know patterns” about fraud allegations.
During a briefing of the Government and Finance Committee, Machann said the third-party service is expected to cost $6,000 to $8,000 a year for three years, up to $25,000.
Jon Murray: 303-954-1405, jmurray@denverpost.com or twitter.com/denverJonMurray
