County of Alameda

DESCRIPTION

Under the general supervision of the Director of Professional Standards, the Supervisor of Professional Standards, Probation, assists in directing, supervising, coordinating, training, and advising investigators in the Probation Department’s Professional Standards Unit; undertakes the department’s investigative tasks; and, completes related work as required.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

The Supervisor of Professional Standards, Probation, supervises staff assigned to complete background and internal affairs investigations. The Supervisor, Investigations assists in workload distribution; maintaining the quality and the quantity of the work; monitors caseloads; gathers and reports relevant statistics; trains investigators; completes complex background and internal affairs investigations; and, provides supervisorial structure to the Office of Professional Standards. This class may perform the duties of the Director of Investigations in their absence.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

NOTE: The following are the duties performed by employees in this classification. However, employees may perform other related duties at an equivalent level. Each individual in this classification does not necessarily perform all duties listed.

1. Takes supervision, direction, and guidance from the Director of Professional Standards, Probation.

2. Supervises the work of investigators and support staff assigned to the Professional Standards Unit including, but not limited to, background investigators, internal affairs investigators, and clerical support staff; and, reviews decisions and work for conformity to policy, adequacy, and soundness.

3. Prepares letters, reports, and written summaries of findings; analyzes investigation results and draws logical and objective conclusions; confers with hiring managers; and, makes recommendations to the Director of Investigations.

4. Conducts investigative interviews of applicants, applicant personal references, applicant employment references, internal affairs subjects, and witnesses, and develops and pursues lines of inquiry.

5. Acts in a consultative capacity to investigators by providing instruction and guidance in investigation techniques, interviewing, evaluating of information, methods and procedures of investigation and departmental policies.

6. Provides guidance on complex cases and legal, procedural, and special problems.

7. Assesses and resolves policy matters and problems, and refers issues to higher authority when necessary.

8. Determines staff training needs, assists in developing and implementing training programs, enrolls staff accordingly pursuant to mandated requirements, and monitors compliance.

9. Develops and monitors monthly schedules for unit, including training, vacation, extended leave, and various special coverage requirements.

10. Gathers, marks, records, and preserves evidence; determines the importance and relevance of physical evidence in investigations.

11. Develops and maintains working relations with other public agencies.

12. Conducts and submits evaluations, enforces performance standards, and develops corrective action plans and conducts disciplinary action as required.

13. Applies applicable provisions of bargaining unit memoranda of understanding, California Penal Code, Government Code, Evidence Code, Code of Civil Procedures, Peace Office Bill of Rights, County Civil Service rules, policies and procedures, personnel rules, and disciplinary guidelines.

14. Gathers, records, and reports relevant statistics to the Director of Investigations.

15. Conducts background and internal affairs investigations, and maintains an investigative caseload, as determined by the Director of Investigations.

16. May travel to interview staff and witnesses, and perform investigative tasks.

17. May perform the duties of the Chief Investigator in their absence.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Possession of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university (180 quarter or 120 semester units) in Sociology, Criminology, Psychology, Penology, or a closely related field.

And

Either I

Experience:

The equivalent of two years of full-time experience conducting background/internal affairs investigations in a class equivalent to, or higher than, Deputy Probation Officer III with the Probation Department in the Alameda County classified service.

Or II

Experience:

The equivalent of five years of professional, full-time background/internal affairs investigative experience with a federal, state, county or local law enforcement or corrections agency, or a community corrections agency (one year of which must have been in a supervisory capacity).

Special Requirements:

• Successfully pass a Peace Officer background investigation, psychological, and medical examination.
• Possession of a valid California Motor Vehicle Operator’s license and a good driving record according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles negligent operator guidelines and qualification for automotive insurance.
• Any felony conviction is disqualifying.
• As a condition of employment, use, maintain, carry and qualify with approved department firearms.

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

NOTE: The level and scope of the following knowledge and abilities are related to duties listed under the “Examples of Duties” section of this specification.

Knowledge of:

• Principles of public administration and personnel management.
• Employee supervision, appraisal, and corrective action practices.
• Probation Department policies and philosophy.
• Principles of training, motivating, and evaluating staff.
• Selections standards as set forth by the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission.
• Current investigation interviewing and interrogation techniques.
• Current practices and methods employed in background and internal affairs investigations.
• State, federal and local statutes, ordinances, regulations, rules, policies and procedures related to background investigations and internal affairs investigations.
• Probation bargaining unit memoranda of understanding, California Penal Code, Government Code, Evidence Code, Code of Civil Procedures, Peace Office Bill of Rights, County Civil Service rules, policies and procedures, personnel rules, and disciplinary guidelines.



Ability to:

• Set goals and objectives, establish priorities, meet deadlines, and coordinate work with others.
• Edit reports written by staff to ensure clarity, accuracy, and concision.
• Read, interpret, and apply legal methodologies relating to background and internal affairs investigations.
• Implement new policies and procedures.
• Effectively utilize interviewing, interrogation, and investigative techniques and procedures.
• Utilize practices and methods employed in administrative and criminal investigations.
• Be flexible in adjusting to frequent interruptions and/or changes in workload and assignments.
• Demonstrate self-restraint, good judgment, and strategic decision-making when interacting with a variety of people under varying situations, conditions, and circumstances.
• Write clearly, accurately, and concisely, and use grammatically correct English when conveying ideas in written reports, letters, memoranda, and other documents.
• Effectively apply laws of arrest, search and seizure case law, and rules of evidence.
• Demonstrate effective public speaking skills, plan and deliver effective presentations, and prepare related materials.
• Evaluate the credibility of persons interviewed.
• Use laptops, personal computers and word processing software.
• Provide training and guidance to investigators and support staff.
• Gather, record, interpret, and report statistical data.
• Effectively utilize self-defense techniques.
• Effectively utilize a firearm.

CLASS SPEC HISTORY

BENEFITS

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Well-Being

• Medical – HMO & PPO Plans
• Dental – HMO & PPO Plans
• Vision or Vision Reimbursement
• Share the Savings
• Basic Life Insurance 
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage for eligible employees)
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance 
• County Allowance Credit
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Health FSA, Dependent Care and Adoption Assistance
• Short-Term Disability Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Voluntary Benefits - Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity and Legal Services
• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Retirement Plan - (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan or Roth Plan)

For your Work/Life Balance

• 12 paid holidays
• Floating Holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Management Paid Leave**
• Catastrophic Sick Leave
• Pet Insurance
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources
• 1^st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

** Non-exempt management employees are entitled to up to three days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to seven days of management paid leave.