Baltimore County Executive John Olszewski announced Thursday that former acting State Prosecutor Kelly Beckham Madigan will be Executive Director for the County’s Office of Ethics and Accountability. 

The newly created office is tasked with identifying fraud and abuse in county government. Once approved by the County Council, Madigan will start in January with early objectives of establishing a website and confidential reporting system. She will have both autonomy from the County Executive’s Office and unrestricted access to information to investigate claims.

From coverage in the Daily Record:

Madigan was the acting state prosecutor for more than three months after Emmet Davitt’s retirement on July 31 and applied for the vacancy, though she was not selected as a nominee. Charlton Howard III was appointed last month and was sworn in on Nov. 20.

The Office of the State Prosecutor investigates public corruption, bribery, misconduct and election law crimes. In her more than three years with the office, Madigan said she worked with the three other inspectors general in the state — in Baltimore city, Montgomery County and the Prince George’s County Police Department — and will look to those offices for guidance in her new position.

“I’m very, very excited to give Baltimore County citizens a voice, working on their behalf,” she said. “It’s an awesome responsibility.”