Investigator III, IV - Office of the Inspector General

Texas Department of Criminal Justice•Pearland, TX

9h•Onsite

About The Position

Performs investigative enforcement work, which may be complex depending on the level. Work involves conducting investigations of criminal violations; administrative investigations of allegations of employee misconduct; investigations of waste, fraud, and abuse; and providing guidance to others. Works under general supervision with moderate latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from a college or university accredited by an organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or by the United States Department of Education (USDE) OR Semester hours from a college or university accredited by an organization recognized by the CHEA or by the USDE may be substituted with prior law enforcement or military experience in a municipal, county, state, or federal system, based on specific ratios (e.g., 00-15 semester hours requires 48 months or more experience; 91+ semester hours requires 12 months or more experience) OR Four years full-time, wage-earning experience as a TDCJ supervisor of correctional officers.
One-year full time, wage earning honorable service as a licensed peace officer (for Investigator III).
Four years full-time, wage-earning major crimes investigative experience as a peace officer (for Investigator IV).
Valid Class C Driver license.
Currently holds an active Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) Peace Officer license or meets the minimum standards for the initial Peace Officer licensure set forth in TCOLE Rule 217.1 inclusive of having passed the TCOLE Peace Officer licensing examination within two years of the commission’s receipt of license applications.
Applicants must meet all the current TCOLE requirements.
Applicants must successfully complete recruit and field programs (for Investigator III).
Applicants must pass the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Physical Performance Standards test in order to continue in the selection process (for Investigator III).
Employees must annually pass the OIG Physical Performance Standards test or OIG Job Simulation test for continued employment.
Must maintain valid license(s) for continued employment in position.
Knowledge of the criminal justice system functions and operations.
Knowledge of investigative and law enforcement methods and practices.
Knowledge of federal and state statutory and procedural law to include the Texas Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedures; and current case law that impacts the functions of the Investigations Division, legal and procedural rules of evidence, and the laws of arrest, search, and seizure.
Knowledge of applicable state and federal laws, rules, regulations, statutes, and court orders.
Knowledge of methods and procedures for defusing and managing volatile situations and violent and hostile offenders.
Skill to communicate ideas and instructions clearly and concisely.
Skill to coordinate with other staff, departments, officials, agencies, organizations, and the public.
Skill in administrative problem-solving techniques.
Skill in public address.
Skill in the use of computers and related equipment in a stand-alone or local area network environment.
Skill to develop and manage confidential informants.
Skill to interpret and apply laws and regulations to complex investigative and enforcement situations.
Skill to analyze and evaluate large amounts of facts and evidence to formulate defensible investigative conclusions.
Skill to exercise legal authority, effect arrests, exercise reasonable force, and use firearms.
Skill to secure and process crime scenes and to collect and preserve physical evidence.
Skill to manage and contain hostile, volatile, and dangerous situations and to make difficult decisions and direct operations under stressful and dangerous circumstances.
Skill to prepare comprehensive and detailed reports of investigations and to prepare criminal cases for prosecution.
Skill to plan, coordinate, and manage extensive investigations involving diverse resources and multiple investigative initiatives.
Skill to manage investigative caseloads and other diverse responsibilities.
Skill to provide guidance to other investigators.
Skill to provide testimony in court and official proceedings.
Skill to administer polygraph tests (for Investigator IV).

Nice To Haves

Major course work in Criminal Justice preferred.
Law enforcement or correctional custody experience in a state, county, or federal correctional system preferred.
Knowledge of agency and departmental organizational structure, policies, procedures, rules, and regulations preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as a Commissioned Peace Officer in the Investigations Division of the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ).
Conduct and coordinate administrative investigations and enforce regulations.
Evaluate allegations of serious employee misconduct to include allegations of excessive and unnecessary use of force, harassment, and retaliation against offenders.
Identify investigative issues and recognize administrative violations.
Initiate cases and collect and evaluate evidence to formulate defensible investigative conclusions.
Investigate criminal offenses occurring on TDCJ property or involving TDCJ interests.
Enforce criminal law, obtain and execute warrants.
Maintain liaison and assist outside law enforcement agencies.
Respond to crises and dangerous situations and make arrests.
Conduct undercover investigations and pursue escapees and fugitives.
Provide special security.
Testify in courts, before grand juries, and other official proceedings.
Investigate allegations of waste, fraud, and abuse.
Manage investigative caseloads.
Prepare reports of investigations and criminal cases for prosecution.
Maintain records of investigative cases, evidence, and property.
Participate in joint homeland security initiatives with other governmental law enforcement agencies.
Train, direct, advise, lead, organize, assign, and review the work of other investigators.
Perform specialized duties to include fugitive task force operations, polygraph examinations, undercover and proactive investigative operations, field training responsibilities, instruction of firearms, and Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) mandatory in-service training.
Perform law enforcement duties to include pursuit of offenders and criminals by foot and car.
Assist in the restraint of offenders and criminals by using proven physical abilities of cardiovascular endurance, anaerobic power, muscular strength and endurance, explosive leg power, and agility.
Perform a variety of marginal duties not listed, to be determined and assigned as needed.