Background Investigator

General Statement of Job Under general supervision, this position is a civilian position responsible for performing background investigations for various Police positions. Reports to a Police Sergeant. Essential Job Functions Conducts background investigations to include collecting criminal and employment history, and personal and professional references for candidates; interviews subjects and references; gathers, compiles and analyzes information relevant to applicants and writes summary report of investigations; processing DMV driving records, and assisting in the physical agility testing; performs administrative support work such as word processing, creating spreadsheets, data entry, retrieval, and functions that may require interpretation, judgment and determining appropriate processes to be used; and reviews forms, data and other information to ensure accuracy and conformance to established procedures and policies. Assists in coordinating department sponsored auctions; prepares and maintains inventory of supplies and uniforms; assists with items returning or going to state and or department labs; fills out supply request order forms; assists in verifying all deliveries and shipments; distributes materials to appropriate divisions; and assists with seizures of unclaimed state funds. Performs other duties as assigned. Performance Indicators Knowledge of Job: Has general knowledge of the documentation, handling, control, maintenance and accountability of the department. Has thorough knowledge of investigative techniques; effective use of interview and questioning techniques and methods. Can use common office machines. Can compile technical information from a variety of sources and prepare clear and concise reports. Can exercise considerable initiative and independent judgment in analyzing and applying standards to a variety of situations. Can explain rules, regulations and policies of multiple benefit programs in terms understood by applicants. Can exercise considerable tact, courtesy and discretion in contact with program applicants and clients, and the public. Can exercise considerable discretion in handling confidential files. Can establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments. Quality of Work: Maintains high standards of accuracy in exercising duties and responsibilities. Exercises immediate remedial action to correct any quality deficiencies that occur in areas of responsibility. Maintains high quality communication and interacts withindepartment and division, and with co-workers and the public. Quantity of Work: Maintains effective and efficient output of all duties and responsibilities as described under “Essential Job Functions.” Dependability: Assumes responsibility for doing assigned work and meeting deadlines. Completes assigned work on or before deadlines in accordance with directives, city policy, standards and prescribed procedures. Accepts accountability for meeting assigned responsibilities in the technical, human and conceptual areas. Attendance: Attends work regularly and adheres to city policies and procedures regarding absences and tardiness. Provides adequate notice to higher management with respect to vacation time and time‑off requests. Initiative and Enthusiasm: Maintains an enthusiastic, self‑reliant and self‑starting approach to meet job responsibilities and accountabilities. Strives to anticipate work to be done and initiates proper and acceptable direction for completion of work with a minimum of supervision and instruction. Judgment: Exercises analytical judgment in areas of responsibility. Identifies problems or situations as they occur and specifies decision objectives. Identifies or assists in identifying alternative solutions to problems or situations. Implements decisions in accordance with prescribed and effective policies and procedures and with a minimum of errors. Seeks expert or experienced advice and research problems, situations and alternatives before exercising judgment. Cooperation: Accepts supervisory instruction and direction and strives to meet the goals and objectives of same. Questions such instruction and direction when clarification of results or consequences are justified, i.e., poor communications, variance with city policy or procedures, etc. Offers suggestions and recommendations to encourage and improve cooperation between all staff persons within the department. Relationships with Others: Shares knowledge with supervisors and staff for mutual and departmental benefit. Contributes to maintaining high morale among all department employees. Develops and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships with department employees, staffers and managers in other departments, representatives from organizations, and the public to maintain good will toward the department and project a good departmental image. Tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions and complaints from other departments and persons to maintain good will within the city. Interacts effectively with fellow employees, applicants, Chief of Police and command staff, Human Resource Management staff, and department members. Coordination of Work: Plans and organizes daily work routine. Establishes priorities for the completion of work in accordance with sound time‑management methodology. Avoids duplication of effort. Estimates expected time of completion of elements of work and establish a personal schedule accordingly. Attends meetings, planning sessions and discussions on time. Implements work activity in accordance with priorities and estimated schedules. Maintains a calendar for meetings, deadlines and events. Safety and Housekeeping: Adheres to all safety and housekeeping standards established by the city and various regulatory agencies. Sees that the standards are not violated. Maintains a clean and orderly workplace. Education & Experience Associate Degree in Criminal Justice, Public Administration or a related field and 2-4 years of related investigative experience; or any equivalent combination of education and experience. Previous experience performing the full range of duties of a Police Officer is preferred. Special Requirements An acceptable comprehensive background check to include a local, state and federal criminal history check; sex offender registry check and credit check. A valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record. Minimum Qualifications or Standards Required to Perform Essential Job Functions Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to operate a variety of automated office machines which include computer, adding machine, calculators, copiers, facsimile machines, telephones, etc. Must be able to exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or 5-10 pounds of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Sedentary Work involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for periods of time. Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things. Interpersonal Communications: Requires the ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes giving instructions, assignments and/or directions to subordinates or assistants. Language Ability: Requires the ability to read a variety of correspondence, reports, records, forms, statistical summaries, policy manuals, etc. Requires the ability to prepare reports, correspondence, records, forms, etc., using prescribed formats and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style. Requires the ability to speak before groups of people with poise, voice control and confidence. Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatical form; deal with several abstract and concrete variables. Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in a variety of technical or professional languages, including legal, medical and insurance terminology. Numerical Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas, to add and subtract, multiply and divide. Must be able to utilize decimals and percentages; interpret graphs. Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape. Motor Coordination: Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using automated office equipment. Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, office equipment, control knobs, switches, etc. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination. Color Discrimination: Does not require the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color. Interpersonal Temperament: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under minimal levels of stress when confronted with persons acting under stress. Physical Communication: Requires the ability to talk and/or hear: (talking - expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; hearing - perceiving nature of sounds by ear). ADA Requirements The City of Portsmouth is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires the City to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations. This is a class description and not an individual position description. A class specification defines the general character and scope of duties and responsibilities of all positions in a job classification, but is not intended to describe and does not necessarily list the essential job functions for a given position in a classification. #J-18808-Ljbffr