§2537 Accountability and transparency relating to allegations of misconduct against senior leaders

Summary

The Secretary must create a public, written policy within 90 days to make oversight, investigations, accountability, and transparency better for claims of wrongdoing by senior Coast Guard leaders. The policy must require any allegation against a senior leader to be sent to the Inspector General of the department where the Coast Guard is operating within 72 hours after the allegation is reported to the Coast Guard or that department. The Inspector General must tell the head of the relevant Coast Guard office, or the next person in command, unless telling them would harm an ongoing probe, risk the reporter’s anonymity, or be otherwise inappropriate. The policy should, when possible, follow Department of Defense rules, including Department of Defense Directive 5505.06. The Inspector General gets first chance to investigate and may take exclusive control if needed to protect the investigation. The policy must be published and taught across the Coast Guard. Definitions: "Alleged misconduct" means a credible claim that could violate criminal law (including the Uniform Code of Military Justice (chapter 47 of title 10)), important ethics rules, or other federal regulations, or that could be significant to the Secretary or Inspector General, especially if it involves misuse of position or improper personal benefit. "Senior leader of the Coast Guard" means O–7 or higher (active, retired, or reserve); an officer picked for promotion to O–7; current or former Senior Executive Service (career reserved) civilians in the Coast Guard; or civilians whose jobs are treated as equivalent to those SES roles by the Office of the Inspector General of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating.