Police Field & Evidence Technician

The City of Santa Rosa is seeking highly qualified applicants for an exciting opportunity to join the Santa Rosa Police Department as a Police Field and Evidence Technician! We offer support from a dedicated team of skilled professional co-workers, the opportunity to provide a vital service to your community, a competitive salary and generous benefits. There are THREE current openings!

To apply: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/srcity/jobs/4480727/police-field-evidence-technician

The City of Santa Rosa is committed to building a workforce reflective of our community and establishing a lasting culture of equity and belonging within our organization. Our collective talents and expertise contribute to high-quality public services that support a vibrant, resilient, inclusive City for our community and visitors. We celebrate a diverse workforce and welcome all qualified candidates to apply.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Police Field and Evidence Technicians (FET's) are civilians (non-sworn/law enforcement) who perform tasks in a range of situations in law enforcement field work not requiring peace officer status. They work independently or as part of a team to process a variety of crime scenes.

FET's are primarily assigned to handle patrol calls for service in the field that do not require a police officer. These include the investigation of basic crimes where the suspect is no longer on scene and the investigation of traffic collisions. In addition, FET’s work with officers and detectives on cases where they are responsible for processing complex and major crime scenes. FET's may also be offered rotating specialty assignments such as working in a laboratory environment on latent fingerprint identification.

Shift assignments are typically four 10-hour days per week and rotate every six months. Shifts include day, swing, holidays, weekends, overtime, and shift holdovers. FET's must be available on an on-call basis for crime scene processing twenty-four hours per day, seven days a week during the assigned on-call weeks. Shift differentials and bilingual pay are available. See the "Working Conditions" section below for more important information.

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

We are seeking candidates who possess:

At least two years of experience in a law enforcement agency assisting the public

Experience in the identification, collection and preservation of evidence

Coursework or technical training in police science, administration of justice, evidence collection, and/or photography

Strong interpersonal and customer service skills

Excellent oral and written communication skills

Demonstrated use of good judgment, especially in interpreting and applying laws and policies to a wide range of situations

High tolerance for crime and accident scenes, including dismembered and decomposing human remains

WHAT WE'RE OFFERING

In addition to offering a rewarding work environment, opportunity for career growth, and an excellent salary, the City of Santa Rosa provides a generous suite of benefits, including retirement through CalPERS, a competitive leave accrual package, a choice of health plans, a flexible spending program, employer contributions to a Retiree Health Savings plan, and top of the line employer paid vision and dental coverage. Detailed information about available benefits can be found in the City's Benefits Guide (Click here) and the Unit 14 Memorandum Of Understanding.

Examples of Duties and Responsibilities

The following are examples of essential duties:

Respond to calls for service

Process a wide variety of crime scenes such as homicides, suicides, officer involved shootings, domestic violence, elder abuse, child abuse, and suspicious, natural and accidental death scenes

Be available on an on-call basis for crime scene processing

Photograph and videotape crime scenes

Prepare crime scene sketches

Attend autopsies to photograph and collect evidence

Fingerprint living, comatose and deceased persons

Perform gunshot residue evidence tests

Provide expert testimony in Court

Prepare reports regarding burglaries, thefts, missing persons, auto theft, fraud, suspicious circumstances, arson, auto and property recoveries, vandalism and similar incidents

Interview and obtain statements from victims and witnesses

Document law enforcement related activities and other unusual incidences

Transport materials, documents and victims including children

Respond to traffic collisions involving property damage, and minor and major injuries; assess the driver's abilities and determine the cause of the collision for possible prosecution

Assist with fatal traffic collisions

Monitor, direct, and control routine and unusual traffic conditions

Administer first aid and CPR

Train department personnel on methods for collecting and processing evidence without contamination.

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Required Qualifications

Knowledge of: Functions of a law enforcement agency; department regulations, procedures and work methods; equipment, techniques and procedures for successful collection and preservation of items of evidence; basic investigative and interview techniques; basic report writing techniques; basic fingerprinting techniques; basic photography techniques; California Civil and Penal codes, City ordinances, and City codes; and courtroom protocol and procedures.

Ability to: Collect, process, and document evidence and fingerprints; complete accurate and complex sketches of crime scenes; learn, utilize and stay current with evidence collection techniques and equipment; recall facts in order to testify in court; observe accurately and remember faces, numbers, incidents, and places; think and act quickly in emergencies; judge situations and people accurately; maintain a professional demeanor during stressful situations; learn understand and interpret laws, rules, regulations and policies; communicate clearly and concisely, orally and in writing; prepare clear, complete, accurate and grammatically correct reports; learn standard broadcasting procedures of a police radio system; utilize defensive driving techniques; establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work; understand and carry out oral and written directions; perform effectively and maintain professional composure at unpleasant crime and accident scene situations including homicides, officer involved shootings, unusual or suspicious deaths, autopsies, traffic fatalities and other complex and/or unusual incidents; understand and follow safety procedures; and use a laptop computer and a personal computer to write reports and retrieve information.

Experience and Education: Any combination equivalent to experience and education that could likely provide the required knowledge and abilities would be qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience - Two years of experience in a non-sworn capacity with a law enforcement agency with frequent public contact; Education - Equivalent to completion of the twelfth grade supplemented by course work or specialized training in Police Science, Administration of Justice, or Evidence Collection.

License or Certificate:

This classification requires the use of a City vehicle while conducting City business. Individuals must be physically capable of operating the vehicle safely and must possess an appropriate valid California motor vehicles operator's license.

Prior to the end of probation, which is eighteen (18) months long, the incumbent must successfully complete the Field Evidence School and both the Basic and Intermediate Traffic collision Investigation Courses.

Additional Information

Tentative Selection Process:

All completed applications will be carefully reviewed. Please complete a thoughtful, thorough application and answers to the supplemental questions specific to this position. As part of the selection process, your responses to these questions will be evaluated to determine whether you will be invited to continue in the process. Incomplete responses, or responses such as "See Resume", may not be considered. Based on this review, applicants who are determined to have the most related qualifications will be invited to the next step, anticipated to be an oral appraisal interview.

Candidates will be ranked based on the interviews and placed on an eligible candidate list. As openings occur, top candidates on the list will be scheduled for an extensive background investigation that includes a police records check, DMV records review, personal history statement, and employer reference checks.

Candidates successful in the background investigation will be required to take and pass a City-sponsored medical examination, including a psychological evaluation, following a conditional offer of employment and prior to a final offer.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter.

Working Conditions:

Incumbents in this classification are required to work 10 hour shifts and may be required to work hours beyond an assigned shift with little or no notice. The work schedule requires shift work including weekends, days, evenings, graveyards, and holidays. Additionally, incumbents are required to work in an on-call status periodically throughout the year. Due to the varied and unpredictable nature of the work, incumbents in this classification are subject to the following conditions: operate equipment and enter data into a computer requiring repetitive arm-hand movement in confined spaces such as when operating a lap top while in a vehicle. Police Field and Evidence Technicians may stand for expended periods of time such as when directing traffic or investigating crime scenes. Employees use calibrated instruments when processing crime scenes. Gathering evidence requires the incumbent to bend or stoop repeatedly a similar movement is required to get in and out of a car. Coordinated movement of more than one limb simultaneously is required, such as when using a hand radio while driving, using a flashlight while driving, or when directing traffic. A Police Field and Evidence Technician typically spends 7 - 8 hours per day driving or sitting in a vehicle, which requires the continuous support of lower back muscles. Incumbents may be required to climb ladders, rocks and or walls and search rooftops, which require lifting arms above shoulders and working at heights greater than ten feet. Technicians may be called upon to search for lost or missing persons or process crime scenes that require walking over rough, uneven, slippery or rocky surfaces such as fields, parks, hillsides, creek sides, or wading into bodies of water. Incumbents are required to listen for alarms, screams, breaking glass, or other suspicious noise that may require investigation. Technicians may be required to lift and carry heavy objects such as equipment or evidence weighing up to 30 pounds. The work requires the incumbent to work outdoors in a variety of weather conditions with exposure to the elements including hot and very cold temperatures. When processing crimes scenes Police Field and Evidence Technicians may be exposed to airborne and contact pathogens, bio-hazardous conditions such as blood or body fluids, unidentified chemicals, or narcotics. Technicians may also be required to perform duties at the coroner's office where there are unpleasant odors and exposure to blood and other body fluids.

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The City of Santa Rosa - A Wonderful Place to Call Home

A charter city incorporated in 1868, Santa Rosa is the county seat of Sonoma County, one of California's premier wine growing regions, and is the gateway to tourist destinations in the redwoods and on the coast. Santa Rosa is the 26th largest City in the state. It occupies 41 square miles and serves a population of 170,000. The City has a historic preservation program and has environmental diversity.

The City of Santa Rosa provides a full range of services including police and fire protection; construction and maintenance of streets and other infrastructure; water, storm water, and wastewater utilities; housing services through its Housing Authority; economic development; transit; parking; and recreation, parks, and cultural services, including a municipal golf course. The City of Santa Rosa's residents work in a well-balanced mix of management, professional, manufacturing, sales, tourism, transportation, construction, and service jobs. The City also plays an important role in supporting the agriculture and tourism industries of California's north coast.

The City does not discriminate on the basis of disability in employment. Requests for reasonable accommodations needed to participate in the recruitment process may be made by submitting a Request for Reasonable Accommodation Form within five (5) business days of being noticed that an event requiring accommodation is occurring.