The OIG investigated allegations that National Park Service (NPS) Deputy Director P. Daniel Smith made an obscene gesture and used vulgar language while standing in the hallway of the NPS headquarters in Washington, DC. Smith and another NPS employee recalled Smith telling a story while they were standing in the hallway together, but they denied that Smith touched himself obscenely or used any vulgar language. Smith acknowledged he gestured with his hands to simulate urinating while telling a story and stated that in hindsight the story and the gesture were not appropriate for work.

We found that the fire alarm and suppression systems are not fully functioning despite $1.2 million in contract awards to repair the systems.

The OIG investigated allegations that a National Park Service (NPS) superintendent mismanaged donated funds by depositing them into his personal checking account. We found that the superintendent violated Federal law and NPS policy when he deposited $500 donated yearly to the park into his personal checking account as a means to manage the funds. At the time of the deposits, the superintendent was not aware that he was prohibited from doing so. We did not find any evidence that the superintendent misused any of the donated funds.

The OIG investigated allegations that counterfeit purchase requests for high value electronic goods, appearing to have been sent by officials in the U.S. Department of the Interior Office of Acquisition and Property Management (PAM), had been sent to small businesses throughout the United States. We substantiated the allegations. We found fraudulent emails and purchase requests linked to at least two PAM employees who had not written or authorized the documents.

The OIG investigated allegations that officials from the Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor (SOL), obstructed an administrative inquiry into alleged sexual misconduct by a USBR official. The complainant alleged that USBR and SOL officials withheld information, attempted to influence witnesses by holding meetings to discuss the inquiry, and tried to stop the inquiry. The complainant further alleged that these officials provided advice to the inquiry while also advising regional management on how to address the alleged misconduct.