A Legislative Information Review of the Texas Department of Public Safety Page: 10 of 73
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Overall Conclusion
Management control weaknesses in key support systems at the Texas Department of
Public Safety (Department) diminish accountability and increase the risk of higher
costs. Examples of financial planning weaknesses included: misclassified budgeting
needs ($4.7 million), inaccurate cost estimates ($792,000) and missed savings
($285,000) for fiscal year 1996. The Department, with an annual budget of more than
$270 million, needs to improve its essential management operations and also its
accountability to the Legislature and the general public.
Management's practice in the past suggests that important administrative
improvements may not occur until problems surface. For instance, the Department has
not implemented audit recommendations related to information systems for six years.
Our concern is that until specific problems occur, management will not implement
recommendations and controls will not improve.
Specific recommendations in this report address weaknesses identified in human
resources management, information systems management, state and federal
compliance, and financial reporting. Overall, we recommend that the Public Safety
Commission ensure that the Department implements recommendations, and we
encourage the Department to continue to find additional ways to improve operations
and reduce costs.
Section 1:
The Department Needs to Improve Essential Management Operations
That Support Its Primary Mission of Providing Public Safety
Section 1-A:
Weaknesses in Evaluating, Selecting, and Training Employees
May Adversely Limit Overall Employee Effectiveness
Weaknesses identified in human resource management may adversely limit overall
personnel effectiveness. As a result, the Department's process to select new hires or
make internal promotions has a significant risk that selected individuals may not be the
most qualified choices for their positions. We identified issues in the evaluation,
selection, and training processes:
" The Evaluation Process:
- More than half of executive management (9 of 17 files tested) did not
have timely, documented evaluations. The period since the last
evaluation ranged from 1 to 10 years, with one individual last
receiving a formal evaluation 15 years ago.
A LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION REVIEW OF
UST 1997 THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY P1AUG
AGE7
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Texas. Office of the State Auditor. A Legislative Information Review of the Texas Department of Public Safety, report, August 1997; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth517746/m1/10/?rotate=0: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.