Director of Investigations
: Job Details :

All positions with the City of Chicago close promptly at 11:59 pm CDT. Applications for this position will be accepted until 11:59 pm CDT on January 3, 2025 (unless extended).WORKING WITH THE CIVILIAN OFFICE OF POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY (COPA)The mission of COPA is to:provide a just and efficient means to fairly and timely conduct investigations within our jurisdiction;determine whether allegations of police misconduct are well-founded;identify and address patterns of police misconduct; andmake policy recommendations to improve the Chicago Police Department, thereby reducing incident of police misconduct.ROLE SUMMARYUnder general direction, directs an assigned investigative unit and/or investigative function of COPA, and performs related duties as required.Location: 1615 W. Chicago Ave, 4th floor, Chicago, IL 60622Days: Monday - FridayHours: 9:00am to 5:00pmSalary: $112,608ESSENTIAL DUTIESDirects investigations of complaints involving Chicago Police Department (CPD) members.Manages the activities of intake investigative teams, investigative process, and office personnel by communicating instructions to unit supervisors.Assigns complaints to investigative staff; monitors the activity and review of selective case files and investigative reports to ensure objectivity and thoroughness.Ensures that COPA investigators respond immediately on a 24-hour basis to conduct preliminary investigations in cases of shootings, domestic violence, and excessive force complaints.Meets with supervisory staff and investigators to monitor the progress of investigations and ensure their timely completion.Reviews case files upon completion of preliminary investigation and/or prior to the closing of cases to ensure that all appropriate investigatory steps have been taken and that the investigatory findings are consistent with the evidence gathered.Reviews Chain of Command non-occurrence reports and makes recommendations regarding the appropriate course(s) of action.Recommends appropriate disciplinary action against violators of CPD rules and regulations.Prepares management reports on the unit activities.Maintains open and effective communication with CPD units, outside law enforcement agencies, Illinois State Police, and Corporation Counsel to facilitate COPA investigations and remain abreast of current investigative practices and appropriate disciplinary actions.Meets with Cook County State's Attorney's Office, FBI, U.S. Attorney, and other prosecutorial agencies, as appropriate, for purposes of referring matters for criminal prosecution.Evaluates investigative team members pursuant to COPA's performance evaluation system.Performs special research or specialized activities at the request of the Chief Administrator, as required.The list of essential duties is not intended to be exhaustive; there may be other duties that are essential.MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONSGraduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree, plus seven (7) years of experience conducting civil, criminal, or factual investigations that involve gathering, analyzing, and evaluating evidence; conducting in-depth research, analysis and report writing; and conducting interviews with witnesses, of which three (3) years are in a supervisory role related to the responsibilities of the position, OR Graduation from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school, plus four (4) years of experience conducting civil, criminal, or factual investigations that involve gathering, analyzing, and evaluating evidence; conducting in-depth research, analysis and report writing; and conducting interviews with witnesses, of which three (3) years are in a supervisory role related to the responsibilities of the position; or an equivalent combination of training and experience provided the minimum degree requirement is met.“Accredited” means any nationally or regionally accredited college, university, or law school where the applicant is enrolled in or has completed an Associates, Bachelors, Masters, or Juris Doctorate degree program.LICENSURE, CERTIFICATION, OR OTHER QUALIFICATIONSA valid State of Illinois driver's license is required.Availability to work any duty watch is required.Per City of Chicago Municipal Ordinance 2-78-120, no investigator employed by COPA shall be a current or former sworn member of CPD within the last five years.ABOUT YOUCOPA is seeking candidates with a strong focus on the following values:Integrity: Maintaining a commitment to honesty, personal responsibility, excellence, and utmost professionalism in the work performed by COPA and in all internal and external interactions. This includes a commitment to identifying and dismantling discriminatory systems and culture within COPA, the Chicago Police Department, and the community.Transparency: Promoting the sharing of information about the work of COPA internally and externally in a manner not in conflict with City and COPA policy, such that the public trust in the mission of COPA is established and maintained. This includes a commitment to cultivating a respectful work environment and team building to ensure effective communication that furthers common goals.Independence: Conducting the business of COPA in a manner that is objective and free from political or other outside influences, such that the public trust in the mission and work of COPA is established and maintained. This includes a commitment to informed decision making and continual efforts to improves processes and systems to further the mission of COPA.Timeliness: Conducting the business of COPA in a manner that promotes timely and fair resolution to all matters.SELECTION REQUIREMENTSThis position requires applicants to complete an interview. The interviewed candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position will be selected.Preference will be given to candidates possessing the following:Previous experience in the investigation, prosecution, or analysis of death investigations.Previous experience in and knowledge of the tenants of the 4th Amendment.Direct experience investigating police misconduct, analyzing probable cause & drafting and/or reviewing investigative reports of findings.Previous experience managing and triaging voluminous caseload and personnel.Previous experience in providing advocacy to victims of domestic violence or prosecuting or investigating allegations of domestic violence and/or sexual misconduct.All references to political sponsorship or recommendations must be omitted from all application materials submitted for City employment.The City is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Military Friendly Employer.All employees of the City must be actual residents of the City as outlined in 2-152-050 of the City Chicago Municipal Code. Proof of residency will be required.Application Evaluation: Initial evaluation will be based on information provided on the application and the documents submitted. Department of Human Resource staff will review applications after the final posting date. Staff will follow any and all required Employment/Hiring Plan provisions, federal, state and local laws, and Collective Bargaining Agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago.Education & Employment Requirements and Verification: You must provide information about your educational background and work experience including job titles, dates of employment (month/year), and specific job duties on your resume and/or application as it relates to the qualifications of the position for which you are applying. ‘Acting Up' cannot be considered for current City employees. Please attach all applicable transcripts, diplomas, licenses, and/or certificates as outlined on the job posting for the position you are applying for. The initial evaluation will be based on information provided and documents submitted with the application. Applications must be submitted by the individual applicant. Employment applications lacking the required documentation will not be considered. For information regarding the required attachments, please review the description section of the job posting. Please be advised that if you are selected to be hired you must provide, upon request, adequate information regarding your educational and employment history. If you have received your degree internationally, you will be required to provide a Foreign Credential Evaluation. If the City of Chicago cannot verify this information, any offer extended to you will be withdrawn and you will not be hired.COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY: To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience the City of Chicago has adopted the following ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces, and/or residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA) and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates to be referred to departments for consideration. These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders, as Collective Bargaining Agreements define the hiring process for bidders. For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates.FAIR CHANCE HIRING EMPLOYER: The City of Chicago is committed to being a Fair Chance Hiring employer. We value applicants with diverse experiences, including those who have had prior contact with the criminal legal system. Having a criminal history, including prior incarceration, arrest(s), and/or conviction(s) does not automatically disqualify you from employment with the City of Chicago.If you receive a conditional offer of employment, the City will conduct a background check. The resulting report will be used to conduct an individualized assessment to determine if the nature of any prior conviction conflicts with the specific duties and responsibilities of the job for which you have been selected. If a conflict exists, you will be asked to present any evidence of rehabilitation that may mitigate the conflict, except when federal or state regulations bar employment in specific circumstances.Employee Vaccination Requirement: City of Chicago employees must, as a condition of employment, be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 effective October 15, 2021. This Policy applies to all City employees. If you are not able to receive the vaccine for medical or religious reasons, you may seek approval for an exemption in accordance with applicable City processes. For more information on the vaccine policy please visit: Accommodation: If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation due to disability or pregnancy in order to participate in the application process, please contact the City of Chicago, Department of Human Resources, at 312-###-#### or ...@cityofchicago.org. Please be prepared to provide information in support of your reasonable accommodation request.Salary and Benefit Information: For more information regarding compensation with the City of Chicago, please visit: more information regarding benefits please visit: