Tentative Classification Standards issued by the Division of Classification & Compensation are shared with the operating agencies of State government for their consideration and comment. Accordingly, this document that you are viewing is subject to change and will be issued in final form at the completion of the review period.
TENTATIVE
Occ. Code 6643400
CORRECTIONAL SERVICES EMPLOYEE INVESTIGATOR,
GRADE 13
|
6643400
|
SENIOR CORRECTIONAL SERVICES EMPLOYEE
INVESTIGATOR, GRADE 17
|
6643800
|
COORDINATOR CORRECTIONAL SERVICES EMPLOYEE
INVESTIGATIONS, GRADE 23
|
6643830
|
New York State Department of Civil Service
Classification Standard
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CLASS SERIES
Positions in this title series are
responsible for a variety of tasks associated with conducting criminal, civil,
and internal affairs investigations involving prospective personnel seeking
employment with the Department of Correctional Services (DOCS), current
employees, and inmates. Incumbents of these positions conduct investigations
concerning the personal history of applicants for positions with DOCS; conduct
audits of programs and policies as assigned; conduct criminal, civil, and
internal investigations involving Department personnel and inmates; and provide
security for Main Office, as needed.
These positions are classified in the
Employee Investigations Unit, Workers Compensation Investigation Unit, and
Inspector Generals Unit at DOCS. All incumbents at DOCS assist in the total
care and confinement of inmates, sentenced to the custody of the Department and
as such perform various duties and functions in conjunction with the overall
operation of a facility and/or location to which they are assigned.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
CORRECTIONAL SERVICES EMPLOYEE
INVESTIGATOR: journey level; investigate potential and/or current
employees of DOCS.
SENIOR CORRECTIONAL SERVICES EMPLOYEE
INVESTIGATOR: first supervisory level; supervise and train a minimum of
four Correctional Services Employee Investigators and/or Correction Officers;
conduct the more complex investigations; and conduct and/or supervise field
investigations involving criminal, civil, and internal affairs matters.
COORDINATOR CORRECTIONAL SERVICES EMPLOYEE
INVESTIGATIONS: management level;
responsible for the coordination, direction, and management of all employee
investigations conducted in the unit to which assigned at DOCS. In addition,
incumbents are responsible for establishing and implementing policies and
procedures to be adhered to by unit staff and for establishing unit goals.
RELATED CLASSES
Correction Officers are responsible for
the custody and security as well as the safety and well-being of criminal
offenders in State Correctional Facilities, Correction Camps, Shock
Incarceration Correctional Facilities, Work Release Centers and Drug Treatment Centers. Incumbents are also responsible for offenders
requiring mental health services while confined within the State correctional
system and those who require health care at hospitals or health care centers
outside of Departmental facilities.
Consumer Frauds Representatives mediate
consumer complaints, perform field investigations and conduct consumer
education and outreach programs.
Law Department Investigators provide
investigative support to Law Department attorneys preparatory to litigation
either filed against the State and its employees, or by the State in the
defense of the public interest.
Motor Vehicle Investigators independently
perform a variety of criminal investigations, field inspections, inventories of
seized properties, odometer fraud, identity verification, fraudulent document
detection, vehicle theft examinations and security evaluations. Incumbents
provide technical expertise and participate in joint operations with various
federal, State, county and municipal law enforcement agencies for the purpose
of combating auto theft and the production and/or use of fraudulent documents.
Beverage Control Investigators conduct
investigations to obtain information concerning non-compliance with the
Alcoholic Beverage Control Law or Regulations by licensees or unlicensed
operators. They examine records of alcoholic beverage establishments,
analyzing inventory, pricing and receipt data to ascertain compliance with
disclosure and other requirements.
ILLUSTRATIVE DUTIES
CORRECTIONAL SERVICES EMPLOYEE INVESTIGATOR
Conduct investigations concerning the personal
history of applicants for positions within DOCS.
- Create case folders for each candidate being
screened.
- Prepare and send out requests for information to
verify background information provided by applicants by contacting
employer and character references, schools and colleges, courts, police
agencies, and military authorities.
- Access computerized records of other State
agencies to obtain information such as motor vehicle driving records.
- Conduct face-to-face interviews with candidates
to review records, obtain additional information and records, and clarify
or obtain explanations about matters of concern in the candidates
personal history.
- Supervise the fingerprinting of candidates.
- Obtain additional information about candidates
by conducting interviews and field investigations and contacting other
agencies.
- Maintain quality control, tracking, and
accountability on all Division of Criminal Justice (DCJS) and Federal
Bureau of Investigations (FBI) fingerprints submitted on all new employees
Statewide.
- Provide fingerprint training to facility ID
officers.
Conduct criminal, civil, and internal affairs
investigations involving Department personnel and inmates.
- Conduct preliminary inquiries regarding
complaints from inmates, Department personnel, and civilians, including
conducting fact-finding interviews with witnesses, co-workers, and others
as necessary.
- Conduct on-site surveillance activities
pertinent to the case under investigation.
- May act in an undercover capacity, performing
undercover activities, as required by the nature of the case and the
investigation.
- Work with facility administrators, Counsels
Office staff, Labor Relations staff, Personnel staff, and law enforcement
agencies to find evidence and develop cases.
- Act in a supporting capacity for the Attorney
Generals Office, Counsels Office, Labor Relations, and Personnel as
cases enter the prosecution/disciplinary stage.
- May serve subpoenas as required.
- Prepare detailed progress reports regarding the
status of investigations and information obtained for review by
supervisory personnel.
- Based upon evidence developed during the course
of investigations, submit reports with recommendations for appropriate
action.
- When necessary, appear as witness on behalf of
the Department.
- Interview material witnesses for the purpose of
obtaining sworn, written testimony to be submitted as evidence.
- Conduct additional investigative tasks, as
assigned, during the hearing phase of cases.
Provide security for Main Office by responding if the
alarm is sounded by the receptionist.
SENIOR CORRECTIONAL SERVICES EMPLOYEE INVESTIGATOR
May perform all of the same duties and functions as a
Correctional Services Employee Investigator.
Supervise subordinate staff.
- Provide supervision, guidance, and oversight to
subordinate staff, and intervene and resolve problems as necessary.
- Determine and oversee staff assignments.
- Approve leave and track time and attendance.
- Review, monitor, and evaluate staff
performance.
- Complete performance evaluations.
- Identify training needs and arrange for
provision of training.
- Manage and direct program activities by setting
priorities and deadlines.
Supervise investigations concerning the personal
history of applicants for positions within DOCS.
- Evaluate the performance of subordinate staff on
an ongoing basis.
- Supervise the preparation of case folders.
- Supervise the evaluation of cases and status
changes as they occur.
- Oversee the conduct of face-to-face interviews
with the candidates and necessary follow-up as needed.
- Monitor investigative staff to verify that a
timely review of questionable cases for completeness and accuracy is
performed and a proposed course of action is presented.
- Perform a final audit and evaluation of
subordinates cases to ensure compliance and completeness with office
policy.
- Monitor investigative staffs interaction with
candidates and the public in general.
- Interact with agencies within the New York State
Criminal Justice System, as well as the Federal System, in exchanging
essential information.
- Train subordinates to ensure that they utilize
available resources; i.e., NYSPIN, PC Programs, fingerprinting, etc.,
effectively in order to complete the investigative process.
- Respond to candidate inquiries made by Main
Office executive staff and facility executive team members.
- Maintain quality control, tracking, and
accountability on all DCJS/FBI fingerprints submitted on all new employees
Statewide.
- Provide fingerprint training to facility ID
Officers.
Supervise and conduct audits of programs and policies
promulgated by the Commissioner.
- Perform and supervise on-site analyses to
determine if programs and policies have been properly implemented and
carried out by the facilities of the Department.
- Perform and supervise on-site analyses to
determine the extent and effectiveness of specific policies and programs.
- Prepare reports of audit findings for submission
to Coordinator Correctional Services Employee Investigations.
Supervise and conduct criminal, civil, and internal
affairs investigations involving Department personnel and inmates.
- Supervise and conduct preliminary inquiries
regarding complaints from inmates, Department personnel, and civilians.
- Conduct and assist subordinate staff with
conducting fact-finding interviews with witnesses, co-workers, and others
as necessary.
- As necessary, supervise and/or conduct on-site
surveillance activities pertinent to the case under investigation.
- Provide daily supervision, training, and
orientation to Correctional Services Employee Investigators and/or
Correction Officers as assigned.
- Provide direction to Correctional Services
Employee Investigators and/or Correction Officers relative to their
investigative responsibilities and monitor their performance, making
recommendations concerning areas where improvement is needed.
- Interact with local, State, and federal criminal
justice agencies in obtaining and exchanging essential information
pertaining to cases.
- Train subordinate staff to ensure that they
effectively utilize available technological resources in completing the
investigative process.
- Evaluate performance of assigned Correctional
Services Employee Investigators and/or Correction Officers.
- As necessary, develop recommendations to
supervisory staff for the return of detached service staff to their
permanent facility.
May investigate Workers Compensation claims filed by
employees of DOCS.
- Perform all of the above duties and functions,
but does so in accordance with Departmental and State Insurance Fund
policy and procedures and the Workers Compensation Law.
- Handle all aspects of the investigations from
preliminary inquiries up to, and including, assisting in the prosecution
of alleged offenders and furnishing court testimony.
- Incumbents assigned to Workers Compensation
claim investigations typically do not supervise subordinate staff, but
must be available 24 hours per day for immediate dispatch for the purpose
of initiating the investigation of a questionable work-related accident or
illness.
- Examine and, if necessary, photograph accident
scenes.
- Examine claimants personnel, timekeeping, and
medical records as they relate to the Workers Compensation claim.
- Work, in concert with facility administrators, agency
Counsels Office, Bureau of Labor Relations, Office of Personnel, State
Insurance Fund, Attorney Generals Office and law enforcement agencies in
the development of legal evidence.
- May assist in the arrest of alleged offenders or
serve legal process.
- Prepare reports for the Coordinator Correctional
Services Employee Investigations for presentation to the Deputy
Commissioner.
- Submit periodic reports regarding the final
disposition of those cases that have been adjudicated, including comments
as to the reasons for the success or failure of each case.
- Review existing mechanisms for the control of
Workers Compensation abuse to ensure that they are being carried out
according to Departmental policy and the Workers Compensation Law.
- Visit assigned facilities periodically to review
procedures to be followed in those cases where fraud or abuse is
suspected.
- Work closely with Main Office Personnel during
all phases of the investigative and prosecution/discipline stages of the
case, ensuring consistency in the application of policy.
- Based on his/her field experience, suggest or
develop new mechanisms or procedures to enhance the effectiveness of the
Departments Workers Compensation Program as it relates to controlling
abuse.
COORDINATOR CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
EMPLOYEE INVESTIGATIONS
May perform all of the same duties and functions of a
Senior Correctional Services Employee Investigator.
Provide direction and oversight of Employee
Investigations Unit.
- Establish and implement policies and procedures
to be adhered to by unit staff.
- Establish unit priorities and goals.
- Ensure that subordinate staff effectively
utilize available technological resources in completing the investigative
process.
Coordinate the recruitment, hiring, and completion of
detailed background investigations of all entry level security and specific
civilian personnel for the Department, as well as criminal history inquiries
for Office of Mental Health staff assigned to the Department, extra service
personnel, and registered volunteers.
- Coordinate with executive and managerial staff
to determine Departmental hiring needs in order to ensure that an adequate
pool of fully screened candidates is available at all times.
- Coordinate the programming of a computer
oriented list maintenance system.
- Coordinate the scheduling of candidate medical
examinations and the receipt of examination results with the Director of
Employee Health Services.
- Serve as liaison with Psychological Screening
Unit relative to Correction Officer Trainee candidates.
- Establish unit workloads and timeframes for
completion of background investigations.
- Coordinate the exchange of information on
candidates with other law enforcement agencies.
- Supervise the use of and dissemination of data
received over the New York State Police Information Network, ensuring that
security is maintained at all times and that exact records of inquiries
are maintained.
- Coordinate the receipt of data required for
investigations through negotiations and personal contact with various federal,
State, and local agencies.
- Review all case recommendations prepared by
staff, maintaining final authority to disqualify or declare eligibility of
candidates.
- Maintain quality control, tracking, and
accountability on all DCJS/FBI fingerprints submitted on all new employees
Statewide.
- Provide in-service training on fingerprinting to
EIU and Personnel staff, as well as ID Officers in the field.
Administer the disqualifications and appeals
processes for prospective candidates.
- Review and evaluate additional information
submitted by a candidate at the preliminary appeal stage and issue a
decision to sustain disqualification or approve the candidate for
appointment, consulting with legal and executive staff as necessary.
- If a candidate pursues the appeal process,
direct the preparation of a detailed case study and present the case to
the Civil Service Commission.
- Ensure that all steps in the process, including
notification of disqualification, appeal requests, case preparation, and
case submittals are processed within an appropriate time frame.
Coordinate all investigations of employees.
- Assign specific staff based upon type and
sensitivity of investigation.
- Establish parameters under which assigned staff
must complete investigations.
- Coordinate mutual investigations with other
agencies.
Process and maintain all data relative to
notifications of employee arrests, active and former, when received via
teletype, DCJS notification, or telephone. Notify the Office of the Inspector
General, the Bureau of Labor Relations, and the Bureau of Personnel.
Manage a unit charged with investigating abuse of
Workers Compensation Leave by employees, developing evidence, and taking
necessary prosecutorial and disciplinary action.
- Supervise and, in the most complex cases,
participate in actual investigations of alleged fraud or other violations
of law, rules, and regulations pertaining to claims for Workers
Compensation benefits.
- Review information received from various sources
and prioritize those investigations that will be undertaken.
- For highly complex investigations, develop the
construct of the investigation and assign staff necessary roles. In some
cases, this may also involve the use of staff from outside police
agencies.
- On an ongoing basis, evaluate investigative
activities and results with authority to either continue or terminate the
investigation.
- Work with independent prosecutors in the
development of major cases.
- Work with Labor Relations staff, as appropriate,
relative to disciplinary issues.
- Submit progress reports to the Deputy
Commissioner on a continuing basis regarding the status of active
investigations and periodic reports regarding the final disposition of
those cases that have been adjudicated, including comments as to the
reasons for the success or failure of major cases.
- Work with various internal divisions; i.e.,
Personnel, Labor Relations, and Counsels Office, in developing and/or
improving management systems aimed at controlling Workers Compensation
abuse.
- Based on the results of investigations conducted
by subordinate staff, identify policy and procedure deficiencies that
allow for such abuses to occur and recommend modifications as necessary.
- In concert with Counsels Office staff and often
in cooperation with the State Insurance Fund, recommend changes in
legislation that will improve the enforceability of Workers Compensation
Law and reduce the potential for abuse.
- Provide ongoing training to subordinate staff
relative to both the investigative process and ensuring that they
effectively utilize available technological resources in completing the
investigative process.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
CORRECTIONAL SERVICES EMPLOYEE
INVESTIGATOR
Open Competitive: three years of investigative experience, at least one year of which
must have been in the criminal justice field. An Associates Degree may be
substituted for one year of the general experience, or a Bachelors Degree for
two years of the general experience.
SENIOR CORRECTIONAL SERVICES EMPLOYEE
INVESTIGATOR
Promotion:
one year of permanent service as a Correctional Services Employee Investigator.
Open-Competitive: four years of investigative experience, at least two of which must have
been in the criminal justice field. An Associates Degree may be substituted
for one year of the general experience, or a Bachelors Degree for two years of
the general experience.
COORDINATOR CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
EMPLOYEE INVESTIGATIONS
Promotion:
one year of permanent service as a Senior Correctional Services Employee
Investigator.
Open Competitive: six years of investigative experience, at least three of which must
have been in the criminal justice field. Of this experience, one or more years
must have been in a lead investigator/supervisory capacity. An Associates
Degree may be substituted for one year of the general experience, or a
Bachelors Degree for two years of the general experience.
Date: 7/09
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.