Richmond picks interim Inspector General after previous one fired

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Richmond officials appointed an interim Inspector General on Monday, temporarily filling the role after the previous Inspector General was fired in mid-May.

The Richmond City Council's Office of the Inspector General focuses on detecting and preventing fraud, waste and abuse and "promoting economy, efficiency and effectiveness" within the city's government. The Inspector General leads this office.

Members of the Richmond City Council voted to fire former Inspector General James Osuna during a closed session on Monday, May 12. When asked why they chose to remove him, the council told 8News that "no comments will be made on personnel matters."

Just under a month later, on Monday, June 2, the council voted to appoint Foster Curtiss as interim Inspector General.

Curtiss joined the office this year as its Investigations Manager, according to a June 2 press release. Before he took on that role, he spent 22 years with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service's (NCIS) Office of the Inspector General. His final role with that agency was Division Chief.

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"Richmond City Council thanks Mr. Curtiss for his assistance serving in this interim role during this period of leadership transition through the appointment of a new Inspector General and extends gratitude and appreciation to all Office of Inspector General staff for their critical work on behalf of Richmond residents," the city said in the release.

Several top city officials have resigned, been put on administrative leave or been fired within the last several months. This includes the superintendent of Richmond's water treatment plant, who was replaced amid Richmond's continuing water issues.