Occ. Code 1633110

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION INVESTIGATOR 1, GRADE 17

New York State Department of Civil Service

Classification Standard

NATURE OF WORK

            Environmental Conservation Investigators 1 exist in the Bureau of Environmental Conservation Investigation of the Department of Environmental Conservation.  These positions are not assigned to the typical regional organizational levels within the Department but rather are situated in special centralized task forces to conduct investigations of criminal violations of the hazardous and toxic waste provisions of the Environmental Conservation Law.  They conduct lengthy and detailed investigations of offenses against Environmental Conservation Laws in order to preserve, protect and improve the quality of the State’s natural environment.  The Investigator also supervises other positions in the initial and subsequent stages of criminal investigations.  Investigators are strictly plainclothes law enforcement positions involved in covert surveillance activities related to the generation, transport, storage and disposal of hazardous and toxic waste.

CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA AND DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

            Positions in this class are full-time investigatory police officer positions (Criminal Procedures Law, Section 1.20).  In order to perform at the level required, incumbents are provided over 700 hours in basic police officer training and investigatory procedures and practices.

            The Environmental Conservation Investigator 1 performs three fundamental activities relative to the generation, transportation, storage and disposal of hazardous waste:  supervising subordinate positions in the conduct of initial investigations of a criminal nature, conducting investigations of criminal violations and performing undercover work necessary to acquire evidence in specific investigations.  Investigators procure evidence through constitutional methods to enable the prosecution of those who violate Environmental Conservation Law by improperly generating, storing, transporting, and/or disposing of hazardous and/or toxic waste.  Investigations relative to air pollution, pesticides, water pollution and improper disposal of solid waste when not of a criminal nature and not involving toxics or hazardous waste are investigatory activities of the Environmental Conservation Officer rather than the Environmental Conservation Investigator 1.

TYPICAL ACTIVITIES, TASKS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Investigates and gathers evidentiary material related to criminal offenses in generating, transporting, storing and disposing of hazardous/toxic wastes.

· Supervises ECO’s and other technical personnel in the initial investigatory phases of such crimes in such areas of sample taking, crowd control, interviewing witnesses and communicating with other agencies.

· Works undercover to gather necessary evidence in hazardous and toxic waste cases.

· Drafts search warrant applications and executes search warrants.

· Operates state-of-the-art surveillance equipment such as movie equipment, night viewing devices, audiovisual recording equipment, body microphones, telephoto lens and other audiovisual devices.

· Coordinates the work of scientists and technicians in hazardous waste detection and analysis.

· Reviews investigative reports of subordinate personnel.

Testifies in courts and before Grand Juries.

Prepares reports of activities.

Documents the results of investigations.

Trains ECO’s in the principles and practices of investigating hazardous waste violations.

RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS

            Positions in this class are people and data oriented and have frequent verbal contact with a variety of people.  Incumbents interview witnesses and extract needed information from a variety of people from many walks of life.  Investigators must deal with people who may be abrasive, argumentative and/or frightened and the Investigators must exercise firmness and restraint as the situations indicate.  These Investigators must be cognizant of and observe the civil rights of both witnesses and defendants by applying legally acceptable investigatory practices.

            These Investigators cultivate rapport with other enforcement agencies, other department divisions, prosecutors and courts.  They must build professional recognition of their individual and collective ability to gather evidence to insure credibility and the confidence of both the public and the judiciary.

NATURE OF SUPERVISION

            Environmental Conservation Investigators 1 work under the general supervision of an Environmental Conservation Investigator 2 who reviews day-to-day routine reports of the Investigator.  While responsible directly to the Environmental Conservation Investigators 2 for any given investigation and/or methodology, the Investigator works independently of direct daily supervision in many instances.  An Investigator may work as part of a team or be paired with another Investigator to insure maximum efficiency and to protect accumulated information.

MACHINES, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED

            Incumbents of positions in this class may be required to operate cars, boats, snowmobiles, photographic equipment and electronic and optical surveillance devices.  These Investigators regularly bear firearms and are periodically required to demonstrate their ability in the use of these firearms.

UNUSUAL WORKING CONDITIONS

            Incumbents are required to work long and irregular hours on surveillance and evidence gathering research, sometimes in physically dangerous environments.  They must act upon confidential information at any hour of the day or night.  The course of their duties may place them in close proximity to unsavory characters and toxic materials.  As plainclothes police officers, incumbents face additional risks as the deterrence of a uniform is removed.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

· Good knowledge of Environmental Conservation Law, Penal Law, Criminal Procedures Laws and related Rules and Regulations.

· Good knowledge of current court decisions on admissibility of evidence and constitutional rights of defendants.

· Working knowledge of the law enforcement application of laboratory work performed by DEC, New York State Police, New York State Health Department laboratories as well as available forensic techniques available in respect to duties.

· Good knowledge of methods of handling and decontamination procedures with regard to toxic materials.

· Good knowledge of first aid.

· Working knowledge of investigatory techniques.

· Working knowledge of practices of supervision.

· Ability to remain cool and decisive in emergency and stress situations.

· Ability to be patient and to persevere during painstaking investigations.

· Ability to stand, walk and to drive a motor vehicle for long periods.

· Ability to interpret laws, rules and regulations as they apply to enforcement situations.

· Ability to exercise good judgment in law enforcement situations.

· Ability to relate to and deal with people in law enforcement situations, including people who are irate, frightened or menacing.

· Ability to accurately use firearms.

· Ability to write thorough and comprehensive reports.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

            Promotion:  One year of permanent service as an Environmental Conservation Officer.

Reviewed:  7/03

NOTE:  Classification Standards illustrate the nature, extent and scope of duties and responsibilities of the classes they describe.  Standards cannot and do not include all of the work that might be appropriately performed by a class.  The minimum qualifications above are those which were required for appointment at the time the Classification Standard was written.  Please contact the Division of Staffing Services for current information on minimum qualification requirements for appointment or examination.