Fingerprint Examiner

ABOUT THE ALAMEDA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office is a full-service law enforcement agency accredited through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) for its law enforcement services, its Regional Training Center, and its Dispatch Unit; the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors Laboratory Accreditation Board for its Crime Lab; the Bomb Squad Commanders Advisory Board for its Explosive Ordinance Unit.  Additionally, the agency's health care provider, Wellpath, has experience working with the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC). 

The Sheriff's Office has a current budget of approximately $600 million and has over 1700 authorized positions, including in excess of 1000 sworn personnel. The agency's Chief Executive Officer is Sheriff / Coroner Yesenia L. Sanchez, who is assisted in the operation of the agency by Undersheriff April Luckett-Fahimi, Assistant Sheriffs Emmanuel Christy and Daniel McNaughton.  

The Sheriff of Alameda County is responsible for a vast array of tasks and duties, including the following:

• Providing security to the Consolidated Superior Courts
• Operating the Coroner’s Bureau
• Operating a full-service criminalistics laboratory
• Performing Civil Process
• Operating the County Jail (Santa Rita)
• Operating the County Office of Emergency Services
• Providing patrol and investigative services to the unincorporated areas of Alameda County
• Pursuant to contractual agreements, providing patrol and investigative services to the City of Dublin, Oakland International Airport, Highland County Hospital, Social Services, and to the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District
• Conducting a basic academy pursuant to Police Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) requirements. [Sheriff's Academy website]
• Providing Fish and Game enforcement
• Project Director of the Narcotics Task Force
• Serving as the Executive Director of the Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Task Force
• Operating a Marine Patrol Unit in the San Francisco Bay waters

For more detailed information about the agency, visit:  Alameda County's Sheriff's Office.

THE POSITION

Under general supervision of the Identification Supervisor in the Central Identification Bureau, to learn to perform the duties of classifying, registering, searching and identification of fingerprints in the Automated Fingerprint/Biometric Identification System (AFIS/ABIS); assist other city, county, state and federal agencies with fingerprint and identification work; and to do related work as required.

The classification of Fingerprint Examiner is an entry level classification in the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office.  Fingerprint Examiners work under close supervision in the Central Identification Bureau (CIB) and receive on-the-job training.  This classification is distinguished from the next advanced level class of Senior Fingerprint Examiner in that the latter is responsible for handling the more complex and diversified fingerprint examiner transactions. 

For more detailed information about the job classification, visit:  Fingerprint Examiner (#1283).

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications, the ideal candidate will have demonstrated the following:

• Superior communication skills, both oral and written, and the ability to communicate with a wide variety of people, including coworkers, command staff, other law enforcement agencies, and members of the public.
• Accurately completing assignments and tasks while paying attention to detail and setting processes.
• Identifying opportunities and issues, and proactively acting and following through on work activities to resolve them.
• Taking prompt action to accomplish work objectives within a timely manner.
• Accepting responsibility for outcomes (positive or negative) of one's work; admits mistakes and redirects efforts when appropriate.
• Maintaining effectiveness while completing several tasks simultaneously.
• Working effectively in a team setting where there is collective ownership but have the ability to make independent sound decisions as needed.
• Presenting a professional and competent demeanor with the ability to testify in a court of law.
• Proficient technical skills with the ability to handle complex database systems.

1. Vision:  Using both eyes, must have far vision of at least 20/100 without glasses, correctable to 20/20 with glasses.  Must have near vision, as measured by optometric examination, sufficient to perform fingerprint identification, classification and related duties.
2. Must be able to lift and carry 30 pounds.
3. Must be able to type 30 words per minute.
4. Successful completion of a thorough background investigation.

• Fingerprint classification and identification systems.
• Alpha and alpha-numeric filing.
• Windows-based computer programs.
• Correct English usage.
• Basic math.
• Standard office practices and procedures.

• Perform precise, demanding work with speed and accuracy.
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships.
• Qualify to testify in a court of law.
• Read, understand, interpret, and follow complex instructions.
• Write legibly.
• Memorize and apply complex definitions and rules.
• Take initiative and use independent judgment within established guidelines.
• Prioritize work to meet deadlines.
• Compose clear, comprehensive correspondence.
• Operate standard office equipment, including a computer terminal.

1. A review of applications to verify possession of minimum requirements, including the attachment of a typing certificate with 30 net words per minute (wpm).  Those applicants who meet minimum qualifications for the class will move onto the next examination component.
2. A written examination, which will be qualifying only; pass/fail.  Those applicants who pass the written exam will move onto the next examination component.
3. An oral interview, which will be weighted as 100% of the applicant's final examination score.  The oral interview may contain situational exercises.