Civilian Investigator

The City of Fort Myers strives to be an employer of choice and most of our employees turn jobs into long term careers.  The salary shown in the job description is the full range for this position from entry to later career.  

NEW EMPLOYEES ARE HIRED AT, OR NEAR THE ENTRY POINT SHOWN, DEPENDING ON QUALIFICATIONS AND RELEVANT EXPERIENCE.

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt          Safety Sensitive:   Yes          Level II Screening:  Yes

Under the general direction of a designated supervisor, the incumbent will be responsible for investigative work not requiring police authority within the Police Department. Assignments may include specialized areas within the Department’s Investigative Service Bureau and / or Criminal Intelligence Bureau such as but not limited to, Fraud, Juvenile Delinquency, Real Time Crime Center. This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

Responsibilities and Reporting During an Emergency Situation:

Essential Employees may be required to work during a declared emergency. Depending on the nature of the emergency, this may require working around the clock for several days on short notice.

Non-Essential Employees will not be required to work during a declared emergency. The employee’s Department Head will determine when the employee will be required to work.

Perks and Benefits

• Free city-paid employee health coverage, additional for spouse or family
• 3 weeks Paid Time Off (sick & vacation)
• 13 paid holidays
• Pension plan & optional Deferred Compensation 
• City-paid life insurance
• Optional Vision, Dental, and Disability Insurance
• Tuition reimbursement
• On-site Gym facility
• And much more!

• This classification is distinguished from a Police Officer by the fact that the employee is not a sworn officer, does not carry a firearm, and does not make arrests.
• Authors original and supplemental Incident Reports, which will vary in length and content. 
• Conducts follow-up phone calls, emails, and in-person contacts with members of the public, law enforcement, and various investigative partners. 
• Collects data or information from various sources (i.e., computerized crime and traffic databases, etc.) 
• Contacts other law enforcement agencies, investigative leads, probation officers, etc. for additional information, and utilizing automated systems to research criminal history and conducts background checks. 
• Conducts non-suspect interviews with victims, witnesses, parents/caregivers, and may monitor suspect interviews at the request of a detective or supervisor.
• Conducts non-custodial suspect and investigative lead interviews through phone contact or other virtual means. 
• Authors and reviews Court Orders and Search Warrants and completes required paperwork, evidence impounds, etc. 
• Files cases for prosecution with the State Attorney’s Office; may sign as the complainant on criminal complaints as a sworn officer does. 
• Creates investigative support material, such as Photographic Line-ups, Crime Bulletins, Fliers, etc. 
• Drives unmarked police vehicles at the discretion of an investigative supervisor for investigative or administrative purposes. 
• Reviews various reports on impounded evidence for the purpose of property purges, crime analysis, pended lab results, etc. 
• Assists investigative supervisors with various responsibilities in the Records Management System (RMS) to include updating case management and case management queries.
• Impounds property or evidence by following Impound Procedures in Operations Orders (see “Files cases” above) 
• Creates, updates, or maintains spreadsheets, timelines, or other digital records of largescale or high-profile investigations. 
• May conduct background investigations for prospective sworn police Department employees. 
• Attends court hearings for the purpose of testifying to job duties, reports, etc. 
• Demonstrates continuous effort to improve Police Department operations, decrease investigative turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality seamless customer service.
• Attends training classes in police methods, investigative trends, and subjects related to assigned area. 
• This position requires regular and reliable attendance and the employee’s physical presence at the workplace.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Specific duties in the Fraud Investigations Unit include: researching and investigating “fraud incidents”, working with designated Fraud Detectives with follow-up, supplements, subpoenas, search warrants, case evidence review and making recommendations to the State Attorney’s Office on charging; tracking and reporting on fraud case investigations through administrative reports; and requires a willingness to respond to call-outs at night for large scale investigations. 
• Specific duties in the Juvenile Delinquency & Interdiction Unit include: researching and investigating incidents involving juveniles, conduct initial and follow-up actions on reports of runaways and missing juveniles, works with designated Juvenile Delinquency & Interdiction Unit Detectives with follow-ups, supplements, subpoenas, search warrants, case evidence review and making recommendations to the State Attorney’s Office on charging; tracking and reporting on investigations involving juveniles through administrative reports; attend judicial meetings related to juvenile offender cases, requires a willingness to respond to call-outs at night for large scale investigations, be a point of contact for external agencies involved in juvenile related issues, including social services, educational institutions, and juvenile court systems, work with and participate in community outreach programs aimed at promoting positive youth engagement and preventing juvenile delinquency. 
• Specific duties in the Real Time Crime Center include: monitoring real time data feeds and provide intelligence information to responding officers for in-progress incidents; analyze incoming data and information from various sources to identify patterns, trends, and potential threats; conduct in-depth analyses into reported incidents, crimes, or suspicious activities by reviewing evidence, witness statements, and additional information to identify suspects and/ or patterns indicative of criminal behavior; collaborate with patrol officers, detectives, specialized units, and other law enforcement agencies to gather information, coordinate responses, and assist with criminal investigations and/ or with the apprehension of suspects; prepare detailed reports documenting investigative findings, actions taken, and recommendations for further action or follow-up by law enforcement agencies or prosecutors; prepare for and provide testimony in court proceedings, including trials, hearings, or depositions, regarding investigative findings during the course of an investigation. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES 

• Thorough knowledge of applicable laws, state statutes and ordinances.
• Skill in organization, prioritization, and time management
• Ability to speak clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective internal/external working relationships.
• Ability to operate necessary equipment, including but not limited to vehicles, and computer.
• Ability to effectively communicate and discretely handle confidential material.
• Ability to exercise judgment and make decisions in accordance with established laws, regulations, ordinances, departmental policies, and procedures.
• Ability to analyze dangerous situations rapidly and accurately and to adopt, with or without supervision, quick, effective, and reasonable courses of action with due regard to surrounding hazards and circumstances.

• Associate degree in Criminal Justice, Criminology, or related field. 
• Minimum of ten (10) years of sworn law enforcement experience with at least five (5) years of relevant investigative work experienced (ie: in the class of Detective, Investigator or similar title).
• Strong knowledge of investigative procedures, evidence collection techniques, and legal principles applicable to criminal investigations.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to interact professionally and empathetically with individuals from diverse backgrounds. 
• Proficiency in computer applications and software relevant to investigative work, including database management and report writing. 
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and collaborate effectively within a team environment.
• Willingness to work irregular hours including evenings, weekends and holidays, to accommodate the demands of investigations. 
• Must possess a valid Florida Driver’s License with an acceptable driving record.
• Must submit to a complete background investigation including fingerprint check.
• Must meet restrictive drug standards.
• Must pass a polygraph examination.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, criminology, or related field preferred.
• 10 years of investigative/ detective experience with a law enforcement agency.
• Relevant certification in areas of specialties. 
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams of investigators, analysts, and legal professionals.

This work typically requires the following physical activities to be performed.  

• Balancing – maintain equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing, or crouching. 

• Climbing – ascending, descending ladders, stairs, ramps, requires body agility. 

• Reaching – extending hands or arms in any direction.

• Repetitive Motion – substantial movements of wrists, hands, fingers. 

• Speaking – expressing ideas with spoken word, convey detailed, important instructions accurately, concisely. 

• Standing – for sustained periods of time. 

• Stooping – bending body downward, forward at waist, with full motion of lower extremities and back. 

• Talking 1- expressing ideas by spoken word 

• Crouching – bending body forward by bending leg, spine. 

• Feeling – perceiving attributes of objects by touch with skin, fingertips. 

• Fingering – picking, pinching, typing, working with fingers rather than hand.

• Grasping – applying pressure to object with fingers, palm. 

• Handling – picking, holding, or working with whole hand.

• Hearing 1 – perceiving sounds at normal speaking levels, receive information. 

• Visual Acuity 1 - prepare, analyze data, transcribing, computer terminal, extensive reading.

• Visual Acuity 2 - color, depth perception, field of vision.

• Visual Acuity 3 - determine accuracy, neatness, observe facilities/structures.

• Hearing 2 – receive detailed information, make discrimination in sound. 

• Kneeling – bending legs at knee to come to rest at knees.

• Lifting – raising objects from lower to higher position, moving objects side to side, using upper extremities, back. 

• Mental Acuity – ability to make rational decisions through sound logic, deductive reasoning. 

• Walking - on foot to accomplish tasks, long distances, or site to site. 

Work performed is primarily: 

• Light work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force to move objects.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Potential for exposure to adverse conditions, such as dirt, dust, pollen, odors, fumes and/or poor ventilation, wetness, humidity, rain, temperature, and noise extremes, machinery and/or moving 
• vehicles, vibrations, electric currents, animals/wildlife, toxic/poisonous agents, gases or chemicals, oils or other cutting fluids, violence and/or disease, or pathogenic substances.
• Contact with internal and external customers, vendors, outside agencies and the general public. 
• Required to work hours other than the regular schedule including evening, weekend, holidays and during emergencies 

Salary : $30 - $46