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The main purpose of ethics laws lies not in punishing wrongdoing, but in preventing it, not in catching people, but in teaching them.
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In the spirit of this statement, the Conflicts of Interest Board views as its primary purpose the prevention of unethical conduct by City officers, employees, and elected officials. Whether giving oral or written advice about the City's ethics law, teaching public servants what that law requires of them, administering the City's financial disclosure requirements, or prosecuting and fining public servants for violation of these rules, in all of its actions, the Board focuses its efforts, first and foremost, upon prevention.
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The Conflicts of Interest Board thus invites inquiries, both oral and written, about any potential ethics problem. Callers do not even need to give us their name. We also encourage City employees and the public to call or write us whenever they spot a possible violation of the Conflicts of Interest Law. Finally, to avoid conflicts of interest, City agencies should contact the Board about ethics training for their officers and employees.
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Ultimately, integrity in City government rests upon all of us, public servant and private citizen alike. Only when each of us plays his or her role in this ethics scheme will the public trust inherent in public service be ensured.
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