Staff Investigator

Company Description

A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact.

As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What we offer

• Impact - The work you do here matters to millions. 
• Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it? 
• Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.
• Benefits - We care about your well-being.

Agency Description

The Citizens Police Oversight Commission (CPOC) is an independent agency composed of staff dedicated to professional, unbiased, and thoughtful oversight of the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD). CPOC works to:

• Increase the transparency and accountability of the PPD
• Improve police conduct
• Enhance the quality of internal investigations
• Improve the relationship between the community and the police department

Civilian oversight of police can take many forms. Review-focused models allow civilians outside of a police department to review police misconduct investigations once they are completed. Investigation-focused agencies employ professionally trained investigators to investigate police misconduct complaints. Auditor/monitor-focused agencies engage in policy and trend analysis and promote broad organizational change within the police departments they oversee. CPOC is uniquely envisioned to be a hybrid of these three models of oversight, with expansive authority and a broad mission. 

The authorizing legislation for CPOC comprehensively lists the oversight functions that CPOC is meant to fulfill. The legislation notes that CPOC may conduct investigations, data analysis, and audits related to any pattern, policy, or practice of the police department. These investigations shall include, but are not limited to, misconduct, policy, training, practice, and customs.

Additional functions mandated in the legislation include investigations of complaints made by residents or PPD personnel about any misconduct ranging from verbal abuse to sexual misconduct, critical incident reviews and investigations, large-scale data reviews, disciplinary recommendations, hosting public meetings and hearings to share information with the public, participation as adjudicators in PPD discipline hearings, administrative prosecution of discipline cases, reporting on data and statistics, and reviewing and investigating all police uses of force, among other functions. CPOC is a growing agency still in its infancy, and is working to operationalize all of these important functions of civilian oversight of police.

CPOC approaches police accountability from many different angles, and as such, has a variety of divisions to focus on different aspects of police oversight. Each division is led by a division director who oversees the functions of their division.

Job Description

POSITION SUMMARY

The Staff Investigator for the Citizens Police Oversight Commission will assess and investigate alleged and potential misconduct by officers of the Philadelphia Police Department. The Staff Investigator will initiate independent investigations into individual instances of misconduct, monitor ongoing investigations by the Philadelphia Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division, monitor and investigate police shootings, aid in CPOC’s participation in the Philadelphia Police Department’s Use of Force Review Board, and investigate systemic patterns related to departmental practices. Because the Staff Investigator position is responsible for being on-call to respond to police shootings, and because many interviews and other investigative activity will occur outside typical business hours, the Staff Investigator must be willing and able to work evenings and weekends as required. The Staff Investigator may also undertake large-scale investigative projects originating from civilian complaints, officer-involved shooting incidents, media reports, sources within the police department, or any other source.  Investigations may overlap with projects completed by other divisions, so the Staff Investigator must be knowledgeable and competent in all CPOC operations. This position reports to the Director of Investigations.

*CPOC has postings for both Staff Investigator and Senior Investigator positions. Please review the qualifications for each position and apply for the role that best fits your qualifications and experience. Senior Staff Investigator Job Description can be found HERE. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Note: This list of essential functions is not intended to be exhaustive.

• Conduct interviews of complainants and civilian witnesses about police incidents that are the subject of civilian complaints against police, and other matters.  
• Gather evidence through canvassing for witnesses, seeking out video footage, and other means.
• Obtain and review documentary evidence related to incidents under investigation, including medical records, reports related to forensic analysis, and other police reports and documents.
• Interview police personnel as subjects and witnesses of complaints with union representation present; interview police personnel related to other administrative matters and to establish facts for investigative projects.
• Draft and edit reports of investigation, interview summaries, recommendations, and other materials related to investigations.
• Analyze facts of investigations against police policies and legal standards to make logically sound recommendations about whether misconduct occurred.
• Conduct complaint intake for new complaints in a sensitive manner and make referrals to outside agencies as needed.
• Identify and report on policy and tactics issues and potential large-scale policy projects as they arise in investigative work. 
• Maintain a working knowledge of police department policies, rules, and practices.
• Act as project lead for critical incident reviews of uses of force, large-scale events, and other matters as directed by Director of Investigations.
• Maintain a thorough and organized record of investigative actions for each assigned investigative project.
• Seek out and participate in professional groups and trainings to maintain awareness of best practices related to community-police relations, civilian oversight of police, and police reform nationally.
• Other responsibilities as assigned by the Director of Investigations. 

COMPETENCIES, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

CPOC Core Competencies:

• Communicates with residents, vendors, and other departments with empathy and politeness.
• Independently manages workflows and tasks; proactively identifies potential issues and comes up with solutions.
• Always comports oneself in a professional manner, whether in the office or off-site.
• Effectively collaborates with colleagues within and across office divisions as well as external stakeholders.
• Consistently fosters CPOC's values and mission, displaying a strong commitment to advancing police oversight in Philadelphia.

Knowledge of:

• The techniques, principles, and methods for conducting investigations of alleged misconduct.
• Policies, procedures, and practices of the Philadelphia Police Department.
• CPOC’s role in overseeing the Philadelphia Police Department.
• The laws and legal doctrines relevant to police activity, including but not limited to uses of force, searches and seizures, and proceedings in criminal court.

Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent verbal communication and listening skills with the ability to conduct comprehensive interviews and ask probing questions.
• Strong analytical writing and editing skills. Must be able to distill complex information.
• Deep understanding of, and experience with, the complex nature of community-police relations. 
• Ability to independently manage an investigation from start to finish with focus, organization, persistence, and flexibility.
• Ability to effectively conduct a caseload of multiple investigations concurrently.
• Demonstrated ability to perform neutral and objective analyses of incidents, policies, and information.
• Experience and fluency in MS Office software programs, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Willingness to work evenings and weekends as required, including a willingness to be “on-call” to respond to police shootings.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in criminal justice or other relevant field required, or any combination of education and experience deemed appropriate by the appointing authority.
• 1-3 years of relevant experience in investigative work required, experience within civilian police oversight and/or investigative experience within the criminal justice system strongly preferred.
• Experience interacting and communicating effectively with persons of diverse ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, and with persons from all sectors of the criminal legal system, including hostile and reluctant witnesses, complaining witnesses, expert witnesses, law enforcement officials, and families of victims of crime.
• Deep knowledge of criminal justice procedures, investigative techniques, police-community relations, police procedures generally and procedures specific to the Philadelphia Police Department.
• Experience working with sensitive and confidential information.
• Must have a valid driver's license
• Knowledge of Philadelphia and communities of Philadelphia is a plus.
• Fluency in Spanish preferred.

Additional Information

TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• A brief 2–5-page writing sample
• 3 professional references

Salary Range: $70,000 - $77,000

Discover the Perks of Being a City of Philadelphia Employee:

• Transportation: City employees get unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program. Employees can ride on SEPTA buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail for their daily commute and more.
• Parental Benefits: The City offers its employees 8 weeks of paid parental leave.
• We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available
• Pay off your student loans faster - As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Join the ranks of hundreds of employees who have already benefited from this program and achieved student loan forgiveness.
• Unlock Tuition Discounts and Scholarships - The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships. Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!

Join the City of Philadelphia team today and seize these incredible benefits designed to enhance your financial well-being and personal growth!

*The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

Effective May 22, 2023, vaccinations are no longer required for new employees that work in non-medical, non-emergency or patient facing positions with the City of Philadelphia. As a result, only employees in positions providing services that  are patient-facing medical care (ex: Nurses, doctors, emergency medical personnel), must be fully vaccinated.

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to faqpchr@phila.gov.

For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx