Public Service Ethics

The Institute's ethics program promotes public confidence and trust in local agency decision-making by helping local officials understand the unique legal and ethical obligations of being a public servant. 

Public trust and confidence is vital for public agencies to address pressing issues facing communities. A key element of this trust and confidence is that public officials make decisions based solely on the public’s interests—not narrow personal or political interests.

The Institute’s ethics program helps public officials understand the special ethical responsibilities associated with public service. This includes understanding the various laws designed to protect public trust, but also the role that values play in making good decisions. A key program message is that ethics laws represent a floor for conduct and not ceiling.

The program assists public officials in the following ways:

Publications

Institute publications are available electronically on its website at no charge; hardcopies are also available for sale. Two key publications include:

  • Understanding the Basics of Public Service Ethics
  • Developing a Local Agency Ethics Code: A Process-Oriented Guide

Resources

  • Organizational Culture Audit Assessment Tool
  • Bi-monthly analysis of ethical dilemmas commonly faced by local officials (collected
    at www.ca-ilg.org/everydayethics)
  • Ethics Law Compliance Checklist

Training

The Institute helps local officials satisfy mandatory ethics training requirements:

  • In-person training and materials at conferences and individual local agencies
  • Online courses and self-study materials
  • Trainer materials and handouts

The American Society for Public Administration recognized the Institute’s ethics efforts with its 2009 Public Integrity Award.

Related Institute Programs

  • Collaborative Governance Initiative (CGI)
  • Intergovernmental Conflict Resolution

Contact

JoAnne Speers
Executive Director/Ethics Program Director
E-mail JoAnne