Enforcement

The Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) is legally responsible to investigate unlicensed practice and conduct issues within regulated professions. These investigations are handled by DOPL’s Bureau of Investigation.

The Bureau of Investigation employs approximately 39 investigators, and five support staff, who are trained and experienced in many types of investigative procedures. Many are retired law enforcement officers from different jurisdictions throughout the country.

The Bureau of Investigation receives complaints from the public, co-workers, licensing board members, professional associations, other state agencies, federal disciplinary databases, etc. Complaints are generally confidential and are not available to the public. However, in certain situations, the information contained in a complaint may be shared with others, including governmental agencies if the other agency demonstrates a legal basis for the sharing of such information.

All complaints are entered into an investigative database to analyze patterns of behavior. Each complaint is then reviewed by a DOPL Investigation Supervisor who makes one of three initial determinations:

• No Violation: The complaint does not involve a violation. The complaint is closed, no action is taken, and the complaint remains private.
• Violation Does Not Meet Criteria for an Investigation: DOPL is legally unable to investigate or act on a complaint due to lack of jurisdiction or authority. DOPL may refer the complaint to another local, state, or federal agency for further review.
• Violation Does Meet Criteria for Investigations: Complaint is within DOPL's jurisdiction and will be prioritized and assigned to an investigator.