Miami Inspector General Antonio Diaz Opens Office With 19 Cases, Subpoena Power and 11 Staffers

Miami's first independent inspector general handled 19 matters during the office's opening months while hiring staff and establishing systems to oversee city government.

Antonio Diaz, sworn in last November to lead the Office of the Inspector General, told the city commission Sept. 24 that the office filled 11 of its 25 anticipated positions. He said the office is working toward state accreditation by 2027.

During the inaugural reporting period, which ran from November through June 30, the office handled seven investigative matters, one audit and two reviews, Diaz said. The office declined five matters and referred four others to the appropriate authority.

Miami voters created the office in August 2024, when nearly 80% approved a referendum replacing the city's former Independent Auditor General with a more autonomous watchdog. The new office has subpoena power and broader authority to investigate city officials, employees, contractors and agencies. It can also conduct audits and reviews and oversee procurement and contracts.

"The voters did not create another operating department; they created an independent oversight institution designed to detect and prevent fraud, waste, abuse, misconduct, mismanagement and to protect the public's interest," Diaz told commissioners.

The office is building the infrastructure needed to operate independently. Diaz said employees are developing 10 chapters of standard operating procedures, 111 control forms, 18 chapters of a training manual and 21 operational guides.

The office has also written a 2026-2030 strategic plan and a citizen's guide to independent oversight.

Diaz said the office's permanent headquarters is nearing completion, with funding carried over from the former auditor general's budget helping support the buildout. The office is also working to fully implement case management systems. It is seeking access to restricted federal databases plus state and county investigative databases.

Financial independence is another priority. The ordinance that created the inspector general's office also established an inspector general contract fee intended to help support its operations. Diaz said the office is establishing a long-term funding structure as it expands its work.

The next step is state accreditation, a process Diaz said the office aims to complete by 2027.