The public hasn't exactly overwhelmed Lackawanna County Controller Gary DiBileo's new fraud and waste abuse hotline with tips.
But it took only one to demonstrate the hotline's potential.
Among the tips the controller's office fielded and passed on to District Attorney Andy Jarbola during the hotline's first three months of operation was a report that an employee in the Scranton Single Tax Office had stolen taxpayer money.
It turned out county detectives were already looking into the alleged theft, which resulted in the arrest last month of a former tax office worker on charges of stealing more than $1,800.
"That's one that stands out," Mr. Jarbola said Monday. "When Gary's office got the complaint, we already had an open investigation."
Since his office established the hotline in late June to allow citizens to report suspected fraud, waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars, it has received about 20 tips, Mr. DiBileo said. The controller didn't know what to expect when he launched the initiative.
"We're happy with it," he said. "We like knowing it's there. It's a positive thing to have, a positive outlet for the community."
Mr. DiBileo said the hotline has produced no tips of fraud or waste about large amounts of public money - "Thankfully," he added.
There have been tips that county employees were conducting outside activities on county time or using county resources for their personal benefit, he said. Otherwise, the reports have dealt with everything from Social Security disability fraud to income tax evasion to landlord-tenant disputes.
All have been passed on to the district attorney's office, he said.
Mr. Jarbola said most of the complaints regarding county employees involve people "taking too much time on their lunch hour" or improperly using county vehicles.
"I refer those back to the department heads or the county and say handle it administratively," he said.
Other tips get passed along to the appropriate federal or state agency, he said.
The district attorney said he views the hotline as another means for the public to communicate with law enforcement. It never hurts to have more of those, he said.
"I don't have a crystal ball," Mr. Jarbola said. "I can't predict what information may come in for us."
Mr. DiBileo said his office, because of its limited budget, has relied mostly on word of mouth and media reports to let the public know about the hotline. Citizens can leave confidential tips by calling 963-6600 or by visiting the hotline link on the controller's page at the county website, www.lackawannacounty.org. Tips can be made anonymously.
"I'd like to think it's not happening," Mr. DiBileo said of fraud and waste, "but if it is happening, we would hope that someone who has knowledge of it would let us know about it."
Contact the writer: dsingleton@timesshamrock.com