The first-of-its-kind audit by Inspector General Deborah Witzburg of the city’s workers compensation system found “major improvement” in the system that paid $73.5 million to resolve approximately 3,700 claims in 2022.

David Glockner said he would focus his efforts on areas “that matter most for the effective, equitable and efficient delivery of city services” and use his office’s audit authority to probe the “most significant risks.”

Deborah Witzburg served a single four-year term as inspector general and declined to ask Mayor Brandon Johnson for reappointment following frequent clashes with the mayor.

Mayor Brandon Johnson called David Glockner “a seasoned public servant with the experience, independence, and integrity needed to serve as the city’s watchdog and strengthen accountability across our operations.”

Records obtained by WTTW News show a former CPS employee logged paid work hours while traveling domestically and abroad, contributing to inflated vendor bills and alleged time fraud. The investigation concluded the conduct amounted to theft under Illinois law and triggered personnel terminations across CPS and its contractor.

Chicago has earned “every bit” of its reputation as the most corrupt of corrupt American cities, with much more work to be done, Inspector General Deborah Witzburg said.

Inspector General Deborah Witzburg did not conclude in the report released Wednesday that the CPD members deliberately covered up the fatal crash. Instead, Witzburg found that their actions prevented her office from “conducting a full and complete investigation."

CPD’s 2026 budget is $2.1 billion, including $200 million for overtime, records show.

“The robustness and integrity of CPD’s disciplinary system is absolutely vital,” Inspector General Deborah Witzburg said. “If we are to take seriously the task of fostering trust in CPD, the city must build and run a police disciplinary system in which both members of the public and members of the department have reason to be confident.”

It was “improper” for the department led by Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry to refuse to provide those records to the Office of the Inspector General, Deborah Witzburg said in a statement.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s failure to name a new Ethics Board chair has infuriated good-government advocates who have demanded that he do more to combat Chicago’s reputation as the most corrupt of corrupt American cities.

“The city’s finances are, needless to say, in an extremely precarious place, and we can ill-afford mistakes which run well into the eight figures,” Inspector General Deborah Witzburg said

“Any student of CPD’s modern history can recognize that there have been these groups of officers that have contributed more than their fair share of harm and misconduct,” Inspector General Deborah Witzburg told WTTW News Wednesday.

Those findings were included in an annual report published Wednesday by the school district’s Office of Inspector General, which is tasked with investigating allegations of CPS employee misconduct.

CPD’s inaccurate and incomplete disciplinary histories makes it impossible to trust that police officers are being held responsible for misconduct, Inspector General Deborah Witzburg said.

Inspector General Joseph Ferguson, who paid the $5,000 fine, said that while he was disappointed by the board's decision, he had no regrets about his decision to divulge the confidential report.