Investigative Consultant II

City of New York•New York City, NY

About The Position

The Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) protects and promotes the safety and well-being of children and families through child welfare and juvenile justice services and community supports. Investigative Consultants, a team of former law enforcement investigators deployed to borough offices and Emergency Children’s Services, provide consultation and support to child protective specialists investigating allegations of child abuse or neglect, including expert assistance in cases involving serious injury or death. They may accompany staff in the field, conduct interviews, and train child protective staff in sensitive investigative techniques and worker safety. The Protection Agent Level II supervises complex and sensitive investigations involving children in ACS custody. The role includes investigating abuse and neglect allegations, helping locate youth missing or AWOL from foster care or juvenile justice facilities, and advising and training child protective and juvenile justice staff. Assigned to a child protective field office or special investigation unit, the Level II works under managerial direction with wide latitude for independent action and decision-making. The position supervises Protection Agents Level I who investigate cases and provide training across an assigned area, which may include several boroughs. In the temporary absence of the supervisor, the agent may be assigned that supervisor’s duties.

Requirements

High school diploma or educational 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 closely related work.
Alternatively, an associate degree or 60 semester credits from an accredited college or university and at least three years of satisfactory law enforcement experience, including at least two years in a specialized unit or task force as described above.
At appointment, must possess a motor vehicle driver license valid in New York State and maintain it for the duration of employment.

Responsibilities

Assign and supervise Protection Agents assisting child protective staff with abuse and neglect investigations, interviews and interrogations, and evidence and documentation collection in complex and sensitive cases.
Serve as a liaison between executive staff and Protection Agents.
Participate in evaluating subordinates.
Prepare written reports for the direct supervisor on investigation status, training conducted, and other work performed.
Provide training and assistance to provider agencies and ACS staff to help gather information to locate AWOL youth.
Use investigative databases and review records to develop leads to locate AWOL youth.
Assign and supervise Protection Agents conducting field visits to locate youth AWOL from foster care, detention, or placement settings.
Assign Protection Agents to re-interview parents, neighbors, and relatives when provider agencies have not successfully located AWOL youth.
Assign and supervise Protection Agents collaborating and sharing information with law enforcement to support the safe return of located youth to foster care, placement, or detention.
In the temporary absence of the supervisor, may perform the duties of that position.
Advise and train Child Protective Specialists, Child Protective Specialist Supervisors, other child protective staff, and juvenile justice staff on techniques and approaches for handling cases.
May accompany child protective staff in the field and conduct interviews with children, family members, neighbors, school officials, law enforcement, and other community members.