Major Case Specialist at Civilian Office of Police Accountability

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 13, 2025 (unless extended).

This position is open to current BIDDERS from AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES (AFSCME) and the PUBLIC including current City of Chicago employees in other unions or non-union positions.  Only current City employees covered under the City’s collective bargaining agreement with AFSCME are considered BIDDERS and are eligible to bid.  Qualified BIDDERS who properly submit a bid will receive preference over any non-bidders.

BID INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. Apply on the bid site: cityofchicago.org/careers;
2. Check the box on your profile titled “Currently employed by the City of Chicago”.
3. Enter your employee ID (located on your pay stub labeled ‘payee/employee number’); and
4. Select your correct bargaining unit.

Failure to follow these instructions will result in a rejected bid application.

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; and
• make policy recommendations to improve the Chicago Police Department, thereby reducing incident of police misconduct.

ROLE SUMMARY

Under direction, functions as lead investigator in sworn police officer-involved death investigations as defined by the Police and Community Relations Improvement Act. Investigates allegations of excessive force or official misconduct against members of the Chicago Police Department, including cases involving serious injury, multiple complaints, and shooting incidents, and performs related duties as required.

Location:           1615 W. Chicago Ave, 4th floor, Chicago, IL 60622

Days:                Monday - Friday

Hours:               9:00am to 5:00pm (call out, as needed)

Salary:              $90,984 (non-negotiable)

This position is covered by the collective bargaining agreement between the City of Chicago and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and is in the career service.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Directs the work of the investigative staff on major case investigations.
• Responds to the scene of incidents resulting in death or serious injury to a non-department member and coordinates and conducts investigative activities related to such incidents as required.
• Monitors and directs on-scene activities of department evidence technicians for officer-involved death investigations and investigations involving the discharge of a weapon by a department member, as required.
• Interviews complainants, witnesses, and department members to gather facts in order to investigate incidents involving possible misconduct by department members.
• Conducts canvasses at the location of the incident to locate witnesses, obtain relevant information and evidence.
• Obtains and analyzes reports related to the incident, including reports related to forensic and scientific analysis.
• Maintains working knowledge of department rules, policies, and general orders.
• Prepares reports of investigation activities conducted to document investigative process.
• Updates and maintains case management records to report on status of investigations.
• Maintains comprehensive, organized case files and manages documents pursuant to all legal rules.
• Collaborates with attorneys in drafting of disciplinary charges.
• Obtains and reviews court documents in related civil and criminal matters to identify relevant information and statements made by department members and witnesses.
• Consults and collaborates with Legal staff as needed to identify, assess, and address legal issues.
• Collaborates with attorneys to prepare and present at police disciplinary arbitrations and police board hearings, including the assessment and development of litigation strategy.
• Consults with attorneys to review disciplinary charges prior to being presented to department members to ensure accuracy and consistency with investigatory findings.
• Maintains contact with CPD detectives to stay apprised of investigative developments in related criminal investigations.
• Identifies and reports on opportunities for pattern and practice investigations; conducts pattern and practice investigations at direction of management.
• Testifies in court, arbitration hearings and before the Police Board as needed.
• Collaborates with the Cook County State's Attorney's Office and the U. S. Attorney's Office to prepare cases for criminal proceedings.
• Identifies areas of improvement to police department tactics and training based on information obtained through investigations.
• Prepares reports of investigation based on analysis of the evidence in light of the legal framework and makes preliminary recommendations regarding appropriate disciplinary action or other intervention that is appropriate based on the investigatory findings.

The list of essential duties is not intended to be exhaustive; there may be other duties that are essential. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

“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.

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.

LICENSURE, CERTIFICATION, OR OTHER QUALIFICATIONS

• A valid State of Illinois driver's license is required.
• Availability to work any duty watch is required.
• Availability to participate in the on-call rotation for officer-involved death investigations.
• Certification:
  • Certified by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board as a Lead Homicide Investigator, or similar training approved by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board or the Department of State Police, or similar training provided at an Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board certified school, or
  • Is willing to undergo such training within six months of hire in order to maintain position as a Major Case Specialist.
  • Post-graduate degree in Public Policy, Political Science, Social Science, Government or Law, preferred.

• A Juris Doctorate from an ABA accredited law school.
• Previous professional experience with a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency as a sworn law enforcement officer.
• Previous professional experience investigating incidents involving death or serious injury.
• Trained or certified by an accredited body as a Lead Homicide Investigator.
• Previous full-time employment with a local, state, or federal oversight agency.
• Previous professional experience conducting investigations of employee misconduct or criminal conduct for either a government entity or a business entity that is not a retail establishment.
• Previous professional experience prosecuting or defending felony criminal cases.
• Able to read, write and speak any language other than English fluently.

ABOUT YOU:

COPA 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 REQUIREMENTS

This position requires applicants to successfully pass a skills assessment test and complete an interview, which will include a written exercise. Test results will be sent out by the Department of Human Resources after test results have been compiled and analyzed. Applicants who receive a passing score on the test will be selected to interview. The interviewed candidate(s) receiving a passing score on the test and possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, based on the oral interview and written exercise, will be selected for hire.

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: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dhr/supp_info/city-of-chicago-employee-vaccination-policy.html

Reasonable 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 312-744-4976 or disabilityaccommodations@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:
https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/dhr/supp_info/JobClassification/2023_2024_Classification_and_Pay_Plan.pdf

For more information regarding benefits please visit:
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fin/benefits-office.html