Investigator, Probation Department

THIS IS A NEW ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION. The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year, but can be extended.

Supplemental Questionnaire: A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application. Failure to submit the Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing.

Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires will only be accepted on-line.

THE DEPARTMENT:

The Alameda County Probation Department is an essential element of the County’s system of public protection and human services. The Department’s role is to reduce the impact of crime in the community by providing accurate, comprehensive and timely information and recommendations to the Courts, providing community-based sanctions and treatment for offenders, and working cooperatively with law enforcement agencies and community organizations with similar objectives. The Department provides a wide range of mandated and discretionary investigative, advisory, and supervisory services to adult and juvenile probationers pursuant to State law and the County Charter.

THE POSITION

Under the general supervision of the Supervisor of the Professional Standards Unit, Probation, Investigators conduct background and internal affairs investigations for the Chief Probation Officer, and perform related investigative duties as required.

Please CLICK HERE for the full job description.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications stated below, the ideal candidate will have demonstrated a track record of success in the following areas:

• Exceptional communication skills, both written and oral, and the ability to communicate effectively with various groups including but not limited to personnel, community and labor unions.
• Effective time management skills, including the ability to prioritize tasks, accomplish multiple projects simultaneously, facilitate change and take prompt action to achieve objectives as well as identify issues as they arise and address them proactively.
• Prudent innovative decision maker, with a history of choosing the appropriate courses of action by considering all implications and consequences, committing to action and ensuring successful implementation.
• High standards for professional and ethical conduct, with the ability to maintain composure while handling confidential and sensitive information.
• A problem solver, who identifies problems and uses logic, judgment, and data to evaluate alternatives and recommend solutions to achieve the desired organizational goals or outcomes.
• Proven ability to collect and synthesize information from a variety of stakeholders and sources in an objective, unbiased manner to reach a conclusion or judgment.
• Ability to remain flexible and tolerant in adjusting to major changes in work responsibilities or environment, while handling needs and demands of the Probation Department.
• Adept at gaining acceptance from a variety of people under varying situations, condition and circumstances.

Education:  

Possession of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university (180 quarter or 120 semester units).    

AND  

Either I  

Experience:  

Five (5) years of full-time peace officer experience in a class equivalent to, or higher than, that of Deputy Probation Officer I with the Alameda County Probation Department, another California County Probation or State Parole Department. At least two (2) of the required five (5) years of experience must have been completed within the past five (5) years, and have involved conducting background or internal affairs investigations on peace officer applicants, having primary responsibility for an investigative caseload, performing duties such as interviewing witnesses and employees, collection and preservation of evidence, surveillance, and working with other law enforcement agencies. The applicant must also be currently employed in a peace officer class equivalent to, or higher than, a Deputy Probation Officer I.  

Or II

Experience:  

Five (5) years of full-time peace officer experience with a federal, state, county, or local law enforcement or corrections agency.  At least two (2) of the required five (5) years of experience must have been completed within the past five (5) years, and have involved conducting background or internal affairs investigations on peace officer applicants, having primary responsibility for an investigative caseload, performing duties such as interviewing witnesses and employees, collection and preservation of evidence, surveillance, and working with other law enforcement agencies.  

Special Requirements:  

• Meet the minimum requirements for Peace Officer (Section 1031 of the Government Code), which includes being a U.S. citizen or having applied for citizenship one year prior to the submission of application for employment.

• 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.

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:  

• Selections standards as set forth by the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission.
• Current investigation interviewing and interrogation techniques.  
• State, federal and local statutes, ordinances, regulations, rules, policies and procedures related to background investigations and internal affairs investigations.
• Probation Department policies, processes and procedures.
• Probation bargaining unit memoranda of understanding; California Penal Code; Government Code; Evidence Code; Code of Civil Procedures; Peace Office Bill of Rights; laws of arrest, search and seizure case law, and rules of evidence; County Civil Service rules, policies and procedures; personnel rules; and, disciplinary guidelines.
• Current practices and methods employed in background and internal affairs investigations.  

Ability to:  

• Utilize principles and practices of confidentiality in order to prevent compromising the integrity of an investigation or investigation file documents.
• Define problems, collect information, establish facts, analyze and evaluate alternative solutions, draw valid conclusions, and select and act on the best course of action.
• Write clearly, accurately and concisely, and use grammatically correct English to convey ideas in written reports, letters, memoranda, and other documents.
• Set goals and objectives, establish priorities, meet deadlines, coordinate work with others and work closely as part of an investigative team.
• Demonstrate effective public speaking skills, plan and deliver effective presentations, and prepare related materials.
• Effectively utilize interviewing, interrogation, and investigative techniques and procedures.
• Be flexible and tolerant in adjusting to 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.
• Recognize, collect, gather, and preserve evidence.
• Evaluate the credibility of persons interviewed.
• Effectively apply laws of arrest, search and seizure case law, and rules of evidence.
• Use laptops, personal computers and word processing software.
• Maintain monthly statistical data on time utilization and cases completed.
• Gather, record, interpret, and report statistical data.  
• Effectively utilize a firearm.
• Effectively utilize self-defense techniques.
• Conduct training.

The examination will consist of the following steps:

1. A review of candidates' application to verify possession of minimum requirements. Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process.
2. A review of the supplemental questionnaire to determine the best qualified.
3. An oral interview which will be weighted as 100% of the candidates' final examination score. The oral interview may contain situational exercises.

Candidates must attain a qualifying rating on each portion of this recruitment.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED EXAMINATION STEPS.

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit. Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position. Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position. Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work.

To learn more about our recruitment and selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, www.acgov.org/hrs.

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

• 11 paid holidays
• Floating Holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Management Paid Leave**
• Catastrophic Sick Leave
• Group Auto/Home Insurance
• 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.

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org and alamedacountyHR@acgov.org as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the 'My applications' button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to ensure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box alamedacountyHR@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the bulletin for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Tracy Gonzalez, Human Resources Analyst
Human Resource Services Division, County of Alameda
510-272-5085; Email: Tracy.Gonzalez@acgov.org
www.acgov.org/hrs

Alameda County has a diverse workforce, that is representative of the communities we serve, and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance and business need. Alameda County does not discriminate in employment on the basis of, race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors protected under federal, state and local law. Alameda County celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive, and welcoming workplace environment.