Investigator - District Attorney

The Placer County Bureau of Investigations consists of sworn peace officers and professional staff. Investigators assist deputy district attorneys with case preparation and conduct complex investigations. In addition, investigators and staff assist law enforcement agencies with scene processing, intricate cases, and other operations.

Placer County offers a comprehensive benefits package to employees. The following information represents benefits currently available to permanent Placer County employees and may be subject to change. Applicants should inquire as to the most current benefit package during hiring interviews or by contacting the Human Resources Department.

Click here to view Deputy Sheriff's Assoc - Safety benefits

For more information regarding the benefits Placer County has to offer, please visit Placer County's Human Resources website.

To perform investigative assignments; to assist in the conduct of felony and complex misdemeanor investigations; and to perform “failure- to-provide” investigations.

Receives general supervision from the Supervising District Attorney Investigator and functional supervision from attorneys within the District Attorney's Office.

May exercise technical and functional supervision over technical and clerical staff.

• Conduct difficult and complex criminal and civil investigations and related work with limited supervision; prepare cases for hearings and trials; work closely with attorneys; locate witnesses and suspects; arrest suspects when necessary.
• Assist local police jurisdictions with criminal and sensitive investigations, as necessary.
• Interview complainants, suspects, relatives and others involved in assigned investigative cases; obtain statements, documents and related factual evidence.
• Examine court, police, public and governmental records needed for investigation.
• Enforce court orders pertaining to custody and visitation agreements.
• Review information obtained to determine whether to recommend voluntary agreements, or to recommend or advise against issuance of complaints.
• Interview parties involved in failure-to-provide actions; appear in court.
• Gather, analyze and preserve evidence concerning crimes.
• Keep accurate records and prepare reports relating to investigative work.
• Testify in court as necessary.
• Work with various cultural and ethnic groups in a tactful and efficient manner.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, other County employees and the public using principles of good customer service.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Conduct background investigations on Departmental employees.

It is the responsibility of applicants to identify in their application materials how they meet the minimum qualifications listed below.

Experience and Training
Any combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience: Five years of full-time paid law enforcement experience, including at least one year of investigative experience.

Training: Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade and successful completion of the experience requirement will be accepted as proof of sufficient education for the class.

License or Certificate:

• Possession of a valid and active P.O.S.T. Basic Certificate and ability to obtain P.O.S.T. Intermediate Certificate within one year of date of hire.
• May need to possess a valid driver’s license as required by the position.  Proof of adequate vehicle insurance and medical clearance may also be required.

Knowledge of:

• California statutory laws pertaining to criminal and civil investigation, arrest, custody, rules of evidence, search and seizure, interviews and interrogations, hearing and trial procedures, juveniles, mental commitments, failure-to-provide and welfare fraud.
• Equipment, tools and materials used in criminal and civil investigations.
• Rules of evidence pertaining to the search and seizure and the preservation of evidence.
• Organization, roles and responsibilities of a District Attorney's Office.
• Legal structure and practices of criminal justice, especially the court system.
• Use and care for small firearms and other law enforcement equipment and tools.
• Offensive and defensive weapons nomenclature and theory; use and care of firearms, chemical agents, baton and other related law enforcement paraphernalia.
• Principles and practices of self-defense.
• Interviewing and interrogation techniques.
• Crime scene processing, survey, photography and sketching.
• Preparation of trial diagrams and illustrations.
• Basic financial record keeping, mathematics and physics.

Ability to:

• Investigate complex criminal cases while exercising independent judgement; successfully conclude assignments by deadline dates; analyze cases and assist attorneys in preparation of trials.
• On an intermittent basis, sit while working at desk or attending meetings; walk and stand while conducting field investigations; visual requirements necessary to view evidence and suspects; auditory requirements to listen to recordings of interviews; bend during inspection of crime scene or conducting building searches; perform simple and power grasping, pushing, pulling and fine manipulation; lift moderate weight.
• On a continuous basis, know the laws, rules and policies impacting criminal investigations; remember case details; understand Departmental policies and procedures; analyze statutes and case law; identify potential suspects; interpret law; observe individuals under surveillance; problem solve individual cases; explain laws and courses of action to involved parties.
• Referee disputes at citation hearings.
• Effectively conduct interviews and interrogations; take detailed statements and affidavits.
• Gather intelligence on "white collar" crimes.
• Assimilate intricate financial data while reviewing business frauds and embezzlements cases.
• Think logically and act quickly in emergencies; adopt an effective course of action; judge situations and people accurately; exercise good judgement and make sound, independent decisions while working in the field; work effectively in stressful situations.
• Understand and interpret laws and regulations.
• Meet and maintain required peace officer employment standards.
• Meet and maintain the Departmental firearms qualifications standards.
• Undertake and satisfactorily complete required and assigned in-service training programs as well as other mandated training requirements.
• Deal with citizens and public officials under conditions requiring tact and good judgment.
• Collect evidence at a crime scene; take photographs; prepare diagrams for the case records.
• Demonstrate keen powers of observation and memory; observe accurately and remember faces, numbers, incidents and places.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Work with various cultural and ethnic groups in a tactful and efficient manner.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Training & Experience Rating (100%)

Based upon responses to the supplemental questionnaire, the applicant’s education, training, and experience will be evaluated using a pre-determined formula. Scores from this evaluation will determine applicant ranking and placement on the eligible list.

Specific position(s) within this classification designated as Safety Sensitive may require applicants to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Clearinghouse and to provide consent for Placer County to conduct a full query of their records within the Clearinghouse prior to an offer of employment.

The eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be certified as a substitute list for a substantially similar classification.  For this purpose, a substantially similar classification is one at a lower level in the same classification (example: entry level vs. journey level) and/or a similar classification (similar work performed, similar training and experience qualifications required). If you are contacted for an interview by a County department, you will be informed of the classification and other relevant information. If you choose not to interview for a substantially similar classification, you will remain on the eligible list for which you originally applied.

Placer County offers an expedited process for qualifying certain applicants for interviews. Candidates currently employed, or employed within the last year, by a public agency operating under a personnel civil service or merit system may be eligible to be placed on a Public Agency Eligible List and certified as eligible for appointment to a similar job assignment without going through the examination process. For more information on the Public Agency Eligible List, to download forms, or to apply, please click here.

Thank you for your interest in employment with Placer County. Placer County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an active nondiscrimination program. It is the stated policy of Placer County that harassment, discrimination, and retaliation are prohibited and that all employees, applicants, agents, contractors, and interns/volunteers shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, transfer, and promotion will be based on the qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled regardless of gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, physical disability (including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over), marital status, military and/or veteran status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law. Please contact the Human Resources Department at least 5 working days before a scheduled examination if you require accommodation in the examination process. Medical disability verification may be required prior to accommodation.

Tentative Recruitment Timeline:

Week of 2/8/21      Minimum Qualifications Screening

Week of 2/15/21    Training and Experience Rating

Week of 2/15/21    Establish Eligible List