Investigator - Sheriff's Office

Job Description

Job Description

The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office is seeking qualified candidates for the Investigator position within our Internal Affairs / Office of Professional Standards (OPS) Division and the Criminal Investigations Division (CID). This division is responsible for ensuring the integrity, accountability, and professionalism of the Sheriff’s Office through the investigation of internal and citizen complaints, policy compliance, and administrative reviews.

Job Summary: This position may be responsible for performing investigative work on crimes committed in Rockdale County; interviewing victims, witnesses and suspects, surveillance and documenting case records. This position may assist his/her supervisor with law enforcement or investigative duties; performs other work as required or assigned. Positions at this level may perform diverse duties of an advanced and specialized nature.

Internal Affairs/OPS

• Conduct thorough and impartial investigations into allegations of misconduct involving deputies and staff.
• Review and assess use of force, complaints, reports, and evidence to ensure adherence to policies and procedures.
• Prepare detailed investigation reports and present findings to command staff as required.
• Collaborate with law enforcement personnel and other departments as necessary to maintain organizational accountability.

CID/UPD

• Responds to crime scene and assumes leadership role in directing necessary actions.
• Locates and interviews witnesses and victims.
• Interrogates or questions suspects.
• Recognizes and identifies evidence; gathers information from incident report and/or crime scene; obtains statements, documents related factual evidence; collects and transports evidence to crime laboratory.
• Examines court, law enforcement, public and governmental records needed for investigation.
• Gathers, analyzes and preserves evidence concerning crimes; keeps records and prepares reports related to investigative work.
• Prepares case files for criminal prosecution; testifies in court.
• Confers with informants to get information on activities going on within the county.
• Conducts background investigations and conducts research.
• Employees in this classification may be expected to perform any related duties as required by proper authority.

Knowledge Required by the Position:

• Knowledge of federal, state and county laws and Sheriff’s Office policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of interrogation and crime scene procedures.
• Knowledge of principles of identification, preservation and presentation of evidence.
• Knowledge of legal procedures and rules of evidence.
• Knowledge of interviewing techniques, including effective methods of obtaining information from reluctant witnesses.
• Skill in operating modern office equipment.
• Ability to learn, interpret and apply provisions of criminal law.
• Ability to obtain information and evidence by observation, record examination and interviews.
• Ability to analyze and evaluate the statements of witnesses or suspected violators.
• Ability to secure and present evidence in oral and written forms.
• Ability to analyze situations accurately.
• Ability to think and act quickly and adopt an effective course of action.
• Ability to prepare correspondence and reports.
• Ability to meet standards of physical endurance and agility.
• Must have the capability to hear, speak and see to communicate with the general public.
• Must have the strength and ability to apprehend, subdue and restrain criminal offenders.
• Subject to 24-hour call back for emergencies.

Supervisory Controls: The appropriate bureau commander or his/her designee assigns work in terms of Sheriff’s Office goals and objectives.

Guidelines: Guidelines include applicable laws, ordinances, rules, regulations and standard operating procedures related to public safety communications and law enforcement standards. These guidelines require sound judgment and interpretation in application.

Personal Contacts: Contacts are typically with co-workers, business leaders, educators, attorneys, representatives of the judicial system, federal state and local law enforcement officers, inmates and the general public.

Purpose of Contacts: Contacts are typically to give and exchange information, resolve problems, influence/motivate persons, justify/settle matters, coordinate work efforts and provide services.

Physical Demands: Work may be sedentary in the office environment and/or fieldwork may subject incumbent to extended periods of physical and mental exertion under highly stressful conditions. The person must be able to remain calm and think logically when defending himself/herself from imminent danger, apprehending suspects of crimes, etc. The person must be able to load, unload, aim and operate firearms. The individual must have correctable hearing, visual and speaking abilities to perform assigned duties. The person must be able to sit or stand for prolonged periods; walk, run, kneel, stoop, crawl and crouch; make precise and coordinated finger, hand and limb movements; maintain uniform, controlled hand-arm posture or movement; push, pull or drag an adult (averaging 5'6", 160 pounds); lift and carry boxes of evidence (average 50 pounds); use force to restrain/subdue others; work efficiently for long periods of time.

Work Environment: Duties are performed in an office environment, at scene of incident or in an assigned area.

Supervisory and Management Responsibility: None.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum of three (3) years in specialized investigation unit.
• Five (5) years of previous law enforcement experience must be GA P.O.S.T. certified (or able to obtain equivalence of training) and
• Complete a minimum of twenty hours of Georgia P.O.S.T. approved service training annually.
• High school diploma or GED;
• A combination of college hours and training hours to equal 400 equivalent training hours.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license

Position Content: This position classification is not intended to be and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of all the responsibilities, skills, or working conditions associated with the position. While it is intended to accurately reflect the position activities and requirements, management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties and assign other duties as necessary.