Investigative Consultant I

City of New York•New York, NY

3d•$67,510 - $77,637

About The Position

The Investigative Consultant I (Protection Agent) supports child protective investigations involving children in ACS custody and other complex or sensitive cases. The role provides expert assistance on allegations of child abuse or neglect, including cases involving ACS or other City staff and cases resulting in serious injury or a child’s death. The position may be assigned to a child protective field office or a special investigation unit, such as Emergency Children’s Services or the Office of Special Investigation. It works under supervision, with latitude for independent action and decision-making. The role also helps locate youth who are missing or have left foster care, placement, or non-secure detention settings. Investigative Consultants advise and train child protective staff, assist with challenging home visits and interviews, examine investigative records and databases, coordinate with provider agencies and law enforcement, and may testify in court.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent and five years of satisfactory full-time law enforcement experience, including at least three years in a specialized unit or task force such as Special Victims, Forensics, Homicide, Domestic Violence, Missing Persons, or Precinct Detective; or an Associate degree or 60 semester credits and at least three years of satisfactory law enforcement experience, including at least two years in such a specialized unit or task force.
Valid New York State motor vehicle driver license at appointment, maintained throughout employment.

Responsibilities

Provide expert assistance on child abuse or neglect investigations involving parents, Children’s Services, or other City staff, including serious injury or child death cases.
Accompany Child Protective Specialists and supervisors on home visits expected to be unusually difficult.
Conduct and document interviews with children, family members, neighbors, school officials, and other community members as needed.
Testify in court regarding investigations.
Train child protective staff in sensitive investigative techniques, including observation, interviewing, detecting signs of abuse or neglect, interrogations, forensics, and evidence and documentation collection.
Prepare and train CPS staff to handle difficult or recalcitrant parental figures during home visits or child removal.
Conduct criminal and domestic violence background checks; document and analyze the information and interpret it for CPS.
Assist and train child protective services staff in using public databases.
Train and assist provider agencies and ACS staff in gathering information to locate AWOL youth.
Use investigative databases and review records to develop leads for locating AWOL youth.
Make field visits to help locate youth who are AWOL from foster care, placement, or detention settings.
Re-interview parents, neighbors, and relatives when provider agencies have not successfully located AWOL youth.
Share information and collaborate with law enforcement so located youth can be safely returned to foster care, placement, or detention settings.