City's initial investigator instigates lawsuit against administration, accusing them of reprisal after probes

Established in 2021, the Office of the Inspector General in Dallas welcomed Bart Bevers as its inaugural appointee in 2022.

, and Administrator

2025 September 15 . 9:48 AM

2 min read

City's first inspector general files lawsuit against authorities, accusing them of retribution... — City's first inspector general files lawsuit against authorities, accusing them of retribution after conducting investigations

City's initial investigator instigates lawsuit against administration, accusing them of reprisal after probes

Dallas Inspector General Sues City for Alleged Wrongful Termination

Bart Bevers, the first inspector general for the city of Dallas, has filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging wrongful termination. Bevers was hired in 2022 and was discharged less than three months later, on Aug. 27, 2022.

The lawsuit seeks to enforce the city charter, which was amended last year to establish an independent inspector general. The city of Dallas had previously overseen the inspector general's office as a division of the city. However, with the approval of the proposition, the office was intended to operate independently.

In his tenure, Bevers conducted several investigations, directing the city to retrain on its procurement process to avoid waste, fraud, and abuse. One of his most notable findings was that city funds were spent on a City Council retreat, violating the City Code and administrative directives. Despite this, the city did not provide any policy violations when denying Bevers his unemployment benefits initially.

Bevers also alleges that he faced retaliatory treatment from city officials, which resulted in the city hiring an outside firm to search for his replacement. Mark Downey, attorney for Bevers, is unaware of any steps taken to address issues found in the investigations Bevers conducted.

Downey also stated that they have made numerous attempts to resolve the case to avoid litigation. However, with no resolution in sight, the petition was filed in Dallas County on Aug. 28, 2022.

Nick Starling, a spokesman with the city of Dallas, declined to comment on the litigation. Bart Bevers was succeeded by Will Johnson as the Inspector General of the City of Dallas.

The lawsuit aims to bring to light the city's efforts to avoid independent oversight and to hold the city accountable for its wasteful actions. It is currently pending in Dallas County.