A Legislative Information Review of the Texas Department of Public Safety Page: 4 of 73
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Executive Summary
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 improvement in
essential management operations and
also accountability to the Legislature
and the general public.
Management's practice in the past sugges
that important administrative improvement
may not occur until problems surface. Fc
instance, for six years, the Department ha
implemented audit recommendations rela
to information systems. Our concern is tl
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 syste
management, state and federal complianc<
and financial reporting. Overall, we
recommend that the Public Safety
Commission ensure that the Department
implements recommendations and encour
the Department to continue to find additic
ways to improve operations and reduce ccFinancial Planning Weaknesses
Descriptions
Misclassified Budget Needs - Intended
for New Positions Used for Other
Purposes
Inaccurate Cost Estimates - Motor
Vehicle Theft Inspection Stations
Missed Savings -
Fleet Management Practices
Key Information System for
Consumable Inventory
Total Missed SavingsA LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION REVIEW OF
THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETYEstimated
Annual Effect
$ 4,700,000
$ 792,000
150,000
135,000
$ 285,000The Department Needs to Improve
Essential Management Operations
That Support Its Primary Mission of
Providing Public Safety
Weaknesses in evaluating, selecting, and
training employees may adversely limit
overall employee effectiveness. As a
result, the Department's process to select new
hires or make internal promotions has
significant risk that selected individuals may
not be the most qualified choices for their
positions.
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.
Department policy allows the Director to
make, at his discretion, direct appointments to
any position deemed necessary without
written justification. A policy of this nature
does not ensure that qualifications are the most
important criteria for appointment. We
identified four instances where executiveAUGUST 1997
PAGE 1
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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/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.