Investigator – Office of the Commission on Police Practices

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university in public administration, criminal justice, law enforcement, administration of justice, political science, behavioral science, or a related field, and Three (3) years of professional full-time paid experience conducting civil, criminal, or factual investigations that involve gathering, analyzing, and evaluating evidence, conducting interviews with friendly and adverse witnesses, documenting information in written form, and making a disposition recommendation. Any combination of education and experience that demonstrates these qualifications may be qualifying. Other Requirements/Qualifications: Must possess and maintain a California State driver’s license, current auto insurance and demonstrate ability to travel to various locations on time. Must be able to work flexible hours if necessary, including nights and weekends. Must be able to respond to critical incidents and various investigative occurrences that arise during non-business hours. Oral and written bi-lingual skills in Spanish, Cantonese, and Mandarin are desirable. The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications: 

• Ability to conduct investigations of a highly confidential and sensitive nature. Knowledge of investigative principles and practices. Knowledge of criminal justice procedures, laws of arrest and search and seizure, legal rights of community members, police practices, and Peace Officer Bill of Rights Ability to plan investigations, prioritize multiple tasks, and meet required deadlines. Ability to conduct investigations in an objective and independent manner and to adhere to high standards of ethical conduct. Ability to evaluate evidence and make findings without bias or concern for personal interest. Ability to efficiently exercise judgment in handling questions and releasing information. Ability to conduct detailed factual interviews with complainants, impacted parties, and witnesses, police officers, City employees, and experts such as medical practitioners, first responders, and others. Ability to communicate clearly, professionally, and courteously with individuals from a wide variety of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, develop sensitivity to a variety of communication styles, and elicit information from friendly, neutral, or reluctant individuals. Knowledge of trauma informed interview techniques and concepts. Familiarity with and ability to maintain operational knowledge of relevant police records and documentation. Ability to conduct public records searches utilizing specialized databases and conduct legal research. Ability to follow proper protocols regarding responding to incident scenes and canvassing. Ability to analyze and interpret relevant police procedures, local, state, and federal laws, and cases. Ability to accurately and thoroughly document investigative steps and maintain complete and accurate case files in a secure and confidential manner. Excellent writing skills and ability to write clear, concise, well-organized, and thorough investigative reports and summaries. Knowledge of basic word processing, database, and spreadsheet applications. Ability to analyze and summarize large volumes of information in a coherent manner. Ability to follow-up on inconsistencies, reason logically, and apply rules to facts. Ability to present reports to the Chief Investigator, Executive Director, Legal Counsel, and the Commission relying on excellent public speaking skills. Ability to work independently while recognizing the need to escalate issues to supervision. Ability to maintain positive working relationship with supervision, colleagues, Commissioners, City, and other government agencies employees.