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Washington County Public Schools' Fraud Hotline

Reporting Suspected Financial Irregularities

The Board of Education encourages all stakeholders to report suspected financial irregularities of which they become aware.  If you are an employee, you are expected to report any known or suspected irregularities. 

Financial irregularities include fraud, false claims, false statements, conflict of interest situations, bribery, theft, or embezzlement by Board of Education employees, agents, contractors or volunteers.  This reporting procedure does not cover improprieties involving students. The information reported will be considered confidential, and you may report suspected financial irregularities anonymously.  However, the Board encourages you to provide information that would allow us to contact you for further information or clarification.  Additionally, employees may rest assured that there will be no reprisals for reporting a suspected irregularity in good faith. 

However, intentionally making false accusations could lead to disciplinary action.  Additionally, a party who is intentionally falsely accused may have certain legal remedies that could be exercised against his or her accuser.

Reporting Procedure

  1. The Board of Education’s Communications Officer, Richard Wright, is designated as the recipient of reports of financial irregularity.  A fraud hotline has been established so that you may report financial irregularities to him.
  2. You may transmit a fraud hotline message to Mr. Wright by any of the following:

a.  The direct, dedicated fraud hotline telephone at (301) 766-8700.

b.  A telephone call to him at (301) 766-2996.

c.  An e-mail directed to wrighric@wcps.k12.md.us.

d.  Other written communication to him at Washington County Public Schools, P.O. Box 730, Hagerstown, Maryland 21741-0730.

        3.  Regardless of the method of communication that you use, the Board of Education encourages you to provide the following information in your report:

a.  The name, position, and work location of the alleged perpetrator.

b.  A complete description of the alleged act.

c.  A description of how you discovered the alleged act.

d.  As closely as you can determine, the date and time that the alleged act occurred.

e.  As closely as you can determine, the value of the school system assets that have been compromised.

f.  The names of any supervisory personnel to whom you have previously reported the alleged act.  If none, so state.

g.  Your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address. (optional)

Incomplete information may make it difficult or impossible to investigate your allegation(s).  Therefore, the Board asks that the information you provide be as complete as possible.

          4.  Within one workday of receiving your report, Mr. Wright will contact the appropriate person(s) to begin an investigation into the allegations that you have made.  The complete protocol for the investigation and reporting of the findings may be found in procedure DIFA-R in the Board of Education policy and procedure section of this website.