What Does an Inspector General Do?
An inspector general (IG) is the internal compliance officer of most governmental agencies, and the phrase typically refers to a title, not a rank. Each inspector general is usually appointed by the director of the agency he or she will serve. In most cases, the IG will be authorized to have a staff of inspectors and special agents to accomplish the mission of the office. IG inspectors are non-law enforcement officials; mostly, they are tasked with conducting audits and inspections of agency policies and procedures to prevent agency waste and abuse. Special agents of an inspector general are individuals with full law enforcement powers and have the authority to conduct criminal investigations, carry weapons, make arrests, and serve warrants. Even though the mission of most inspectors general is to act as an internal enforcement body, many IG offices have duties that take them into everyday society. For example, special agents of the United States (US) Department of Education inspector
