Major Investigation Underway into Mileage Reimbursements in Chicago Fire Department

A major investigation is underway in the Chicago Fire department into allegations that fire inspectors falsified mileage readings on their personal vehicles used to conduct fire inspections. The department does not provide city vehicles to inspectors, who use their own vehicles and are reimbursed for mileage.

Ironically, the members were caught because of a prior scandal that broke several years ago, and resulted in the requirement that personnel carry GPS equipped cellphones with them to track their movements. It was the GPS tracking capabilities that led to the discovery of the abuses. The cellphone requirement was implemented in October, 2007.

According to Chicago Inspector General Joe Ferguson, 80 firefighters are involved in the mileage falsification scam. News reports quote Ferguson as saying the costs to taxpayers is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars in 2009 alone.