*This news release was originally published and distributed by the Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti
LOS ANGELES (April 11, 2022) — Mayor Eric Garcetti today announced the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has selected Sergio Perez as the department’s first-ever Inspector General.
“Transparency and accountability are instrumental to running a utility that Angelenos can rely on and trust,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “Sergio has the breadth and depth of experience to make certain that the department is always working to uphold the highest standards of integrity and improve customer confidence.”
As part of his LADWP reform agenda, Mayor Garcetti created the Office of the Inspector General in 2019. As the new Inspector General, Perez will be part of the DWP’s senior leadership team, providing continuous review and oversight of contracting matters, whistleblower complaints, ethics, and other internal policies. Perez and his team will be empowered to initiate investigations and oversee the Department’s Internal Audit Division, Special Investigations Unit, and ethics compliance staff.
“On behalf of the Department, I am proud to welcome Sergio Perez as the department’s first Inspector General,” Martin Adams, LADWP’s General Manager and Chief Engineer. “With the new post, we will now have a dedicated individual with a wealth of experience whose sole focus is to uphold the integrity of the Department by combating activities that may tarnish the reputation of our hardworking employees and furthering our mission of providing the highest level of service to our customers.”
“As a Department of more than 11,000 employees, having an office of oversight will not only help increase customer confidence but employee trust as well,” said Cynthia McClain-Hill, President of the Board of Water and Power Commissioners. “The Board looks forward to working closely with Mr. Perez and his office to ensure LADWP programs, practices, and operations deliver on the Department’s promise of integrity, transparency and effectiveness.”
Perez comes to LADWP from Orange County’s Office of Independent Review where he served as Executive Director. Prior to working for Orange County, Perez served as Director of Enforcement for the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, where he managed a team of attorneys and investigators who assessed allegations of misconduct relating to city employees, political appointees, and elected officials. Perez has also worked as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and as a Deputy Attorney General for the California Department of Justice. His first day on the job will be May 9.
“I have spearheaded accountability and transparency efforts effectively throughout my career in government by working to identify and correct individual instances of fraud, waste, and abuse to get at their root, systemic causes – all with an eye on collaboration and problem-solving,” said Mr. Perez. “As a recognized leader in oversight, systems reform, and local government, I look forward to working with LADWP’s current leadership in its efforts to improve the agency’s practices and increase public trust and appreciation for the Department’s work. For that reason, I am excited to serve as LADWP’s first Inspector General.”
