The City Charter establishes the position and authority of the City Auditor. The City Auditor is:

• Appointed by and reports to the Mayor and City Council.
• Independent of the City Manager.
• Mandated to conduct continuous investigations of the work of city departments, boards, and commissions.
• Granted complete access to all records, documents, systems, and information as well as officials, officers, agents, or employees of all city departments, boards, and commissions.

Because the Police Department is a state agency, state statutes grant the City Auditor the authority to audit the department.

What We Do

Performance Audits

Our primary function is to conduct audits of city government.  Performance audits basically evaluate the performance of city departments, programs, and activities resulting in recommendations for improvements. Learn more about our audit process.

Communicate Results

We publicly communicate to elected officials, management, and the public the results of what we found during our audit work. Our audit reports and other documents are available online. Search our work.

Monitor Implementation

We track management’s implementation of our recommendations through the Audit Report Tracking System (ARTS) process. These updates are presented to the City Council.

We also issue a Monitoring Report each year summarizing the implementation status of all audit recommendations we made over the last several years.

Audit Progress Updates

We provide Monthly Status Reports to keep the City Council up-to-date on the progress of our audits and other projects.

Report Our Performance

We issue an Annual Report that summarizes our activities, results, and audit reports over the previous fiscal year.

Audit Selection

We have an annual selection process which results in our Annual Audit Plan that describes the audits we plan to conduct. Sources of audit topics include:

• Audit staff and other city staff
• Mayor and City Council
• Public audit suggestions

Additionally, the City Council, by Resolution, can direct the City Auditor to conduct a specific audit.

Why We Do It

Government auditing is essential in providing accountability and transparency over government programs.

Our mission is to conduct independent assessments of the work of city government and provide elected officials, management and the public with objective information and recommendations to improve city operations and strengthen city government’s accountability to the public.

Goals and Benefits:

• Strengthen public accountability and transparency
• Provide information to facilitate decision making
• Identify ways to reduce costs or increase revenues
• Identify ways to improve city operations and/or services to residents
• Improve safeguards over public monies & assets

How We Do It - Why You Can Rely on Our Work

We follow Government Auditing Standards, the ”Yellow Book“, to conduct our audits. These standards, established by the Government Accountability Office, provide us with a framework for conducting quality work.

We undergo a required peer review by outside professionals at least once every three years to ensure our work conforms to Government Auditing Standards.

Our core values of accountability, transparency, integrity, and professionalism guide our work as government auditors.

The standards we follow, external peer review, and our independence and core values mean the Mayor, City Council, management, and the public can rely on our work.

Did You Know?

Kansas City government has had a City Auditor since at least 1867. Early City Auditors were elected and functioned as the city’s general accountant.

The 1925 City Charter made the City Auditor and City Auditor’s Office an independent audit function.