Public Defender Investigator, O.C. #69-203

GENESEE COUNTY HUMAN RESOURCES

COUNTY BUILDING I, BATAVIA, NEW YORK

ANNOUNCES

AN OPEN COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION FOR:

PUBLIC DEFENDER INVESTIGATOR, O.C. #69-203

SALARY: $18.40 - $21.63 per hour (2019) Genesee County.

VACANCY: This examination is being held to establish an eligible list to fill future vacancies as they occur. An eligible may receive only one permanent appointment from this list. Once appointed, there will be a Probationary Period of 8-52 weeks based on performance of duties.

CANDIDATES MUST BE LEGAL RESIDENTS OF GENESEE, ERIE, LIVINGSTON, MONROE, NIAGARA, ORLEANS OR WYOMING COUNTY AT THE TIME OF EXAMINATION AND FOR AT LEAST TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THE DATE OF THE EXAMINATION. ELIGIBLE RESIDENTS OF A CIVIL DIVISION MAY BE GIVEN PREFERENCE IN APPOINTMENT TO VACANCIES IN THEIR AREA OF RESIDENCY.

LAST FILING DATE----------APRIL 3, 2019

WRITTEN EXAMINATION----------MAY 11, 2019

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Candidates must meet one of the following requirements on or before the date of the written test:

Graduation from high school or possession of an appropriate equivalency diploma recognized by the NYS Department of Education, AND:

A.        Graduation from a regionally accredited or NYS registered four year College or University with a Bachelor’s Degree or higher in Criminal Justice, Criminology, Police Science, or closely related field AND two (2) years of full-time, paid experience with a public or private agency whose duties shall have involved confidential investigations in the criminal or civil fields, [IF CLAIMED, PLEASE ATTACH A COPY OF YOUR OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT AND INDICATE ALL RELEVANT EXPERIENCE ON YOUR APPLICATION];

OR

B.        Completion of a minimum of 62 semester credit hours from a regionally accredited or NYS registered College or University in the education fields as defined in A above AND four(4) years of full-time paid experience with a public or private agency whose duties shall have involved confidential investigations in the criminal or civil fields, [IF CLAIMED, PLEASE ATTACH A COPY OF YOUR OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT AND INDICATE ALL RELEVANT EXPERIENCE ON YOUR APPLICATION];

OR

C.        Six (6) years of full-time paid experience with a public or private agency, three (3) years of whose duties shall have involved confidential investigations in the criminal or civil fields, [IF CLAIMED, PLEASE INDICATE ALL REVELANT EXPERIENCE ON YOUR APPLICATION].

NOTE: Part-time or volunteer experience will be considered on a prorated basis

NOTE: You may file for this examination if you expect to complete the educational requirement by June 30, 2019.  If successful on the examination, however, you will not be certified for appointment until you have submitted proof of completion of the educational requirements to Genesee County Human Resources. Proof must be submitted no later than two (2) months after the completion date. Failure to do so will result in removal of our name from the eligible list.

NOTE: Photo ID will be required on the day of the examination.

CANDIDATES, PLEASE NOTE: It is vital that you submit, with your application, all information necessary to show your qualification for examination.  APPLICATIONS WHICH DO NOT SHOW TRAINING AND/OR EXPERIENCE TO MEET MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS WILL BE DISAPPROVED, AND WE WILL NOT REFER TO OTHER APPLICATIONS ON FILE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

NOTE – FILING FEES: (The acceptance of your application is dependent upon your following these instructions accurately):

A fee of $20.00 is required for each separately-numbered examination for which you apply.  The required fee must accompany your application.  The fee may be submitted in the form of either CASH or CREDIT CARD (if delivered in person), PERSONAL CHECK or MONEY ORDER, (if by mail).  Personal Checks and Money Orders must be payable to the GENESEE COUNTY TREASURER.  Please write the examination number(s) on your personal check or money order.  YOUR APPLICATION FEE WILL NOT BE REFUNDED if you do not meet the requirements for admission to the examination. Compare your qualifications carefully to the requirements stated on the announcement and file only for those examinations for which you are clearly qualified. A waiver of application fee will be allowed if you are receiving unemployment and are primarily responsible for the support of a household.  In addition, a waiver of application fee will be allowed if you are determined eligible for Medicaid, or are receiving Supplemental Security Income payments, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Family assistance or Safety Net Assistance, or are certified Job Training Partnership Act/Workforce Investment Act eligible through a State or local social service agency.  All claims for application fee waiver are subject to verification.  In order for us to verify your eligibility for an application fee waiver, you must complete a “Request for Fee Waiver” form and submit it with your application by the close of business on the Last Filing Date as indicated on the Examination Announcement. The “Request for Fee Waiver” form can be obtained at Genesee County Human Resources, 15 Main Street, Batavia, NY 14020 or from our website, www.co.genesee.ny.us.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:

Interviews witnesses to alleged crimes and family court offenses including the clients, complainants, friends and relatives of the defendant, Law Enforcement Officers and other witnesses;

Assist in investigation of cases to include but not limited to visiting and photographing crime scenes and other places relevance to the case;

Prepares written reports for the use in evaluation of defense and/or sentencing;

Investigates the family and personal background of criminal defendants to gather information utilized to support recommendations for the setting of bail or for sentencing;

Serves subpoenas and other court related documents;

SUBJECT OF EXAMINATION: A written test designed to evaluate knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in the following areas:

1.         Evaluating Information and Evidence

2.         Investigative Techniques

3.         Preparing Written Material

4.         Understanding and Interpreting Written Material            

CANDIDATES ARE ALLOWED TO USE QUIET, HAND-HELD, SOLAR OR BATTERY POWERED CALCULATORS.  CELL PHONES OR DEVICES WITH TYPEWRITER KEYBOARDS ARE PROHIBITED.

EXPANDED SUB-TEST DESCRIPTION: Evaluating Information and Evidence-These questions test for the ability to evaluate and draw conclusions from information and evidence. Each question consists of a set of facts and a conclusion based on the facts. The candidate must decide if the conclusion is warranted by the facts.

Investigative Techniques-These questions test for knowledge of the fundamental concepts in the area of field investigation. The questions will cover such areas as: obtaining the cooperation of individuals involved in an investigation, preparing for the investigation and/or interview, investigative principles, interviewing principles and practices, behavior and attitudes of the investigator and others, gathering of data and evidence, and presenting the results of an investigation. Many of the questions are situational in nature and attempt to measure the candidate's ability to apply basic investigative techniques. The questions are generic rather than dealing with investigations in a particular field.

Preparing Written Material-These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.

Understanding and Interpreting Written Material-These questions test for the ability to understand and interpret written material. You will be presented with brief reading passages and will be asked questions about the passages. You should base your answers to the questions only on what is presented in the passages and not on what you may happen to know about the topic.

A Guide for the Written Test for Investigators is available at the New York State website: https://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm. Candidates not having access to a computer or the internet may request copy of the test guide from the municipal civil service office conducting this examination using the contact information found elsewhere on this announcement.

CROSS-FILING:If you have applied for other local government or state examinations, call or write to each civil service agency to make arrangements no later than two weeks before the date of the examinations.  You must notify all local government civil service agencies with whom you have filed an application of the test site at which you wish to take your examinations.  The “Cross-filer Form” for Genesee County can be obtained at Genesee County Human Resources, 15 Main St., Batavia, NY 14020 or from our website, www.co.genesee.ny.us.

NOTE: Religious Accommodations, Persons with Disabilities or Active Military: If special arrangements for testing are required, please indicate this on your application. An explanation of your need for special testing accommodations must be attached to your application.  If due to disability – medical documentation must be provided.

CTIVE MILITARY MEMBERS: Any member of the armed forces of the United States who has duly filed an application to compete in a scheduled competitive examination but was deprived of the opportunity to compete in the examination due to active military duty could be provided with a special military make-up examination. Current members of the Armed Forces may apply for

Veteran’s credits by filing an “Application for Veteran’s Credits” (Form VC-1).  The “Application for Veteran’s Credits” can be obtained at Genesee County Human Resources, 15 Main St., Batavia, NY 14020 or from our website at, www.co.genesee.ny.us. Proof of military status must also be presented and verified in order for consideration of granting of “conditional” Veteran’s credit.  Acceptable proof may include a military I.D. card, military orders, or other official military document that substantiates active military service at time of exam. This documentation and VC-1 Form must be received prior to the establishment of the Eligible List for this examination.  The “conditional” status of the additional credits will remain until proof is provided indicating that the service was in time of war and that the veteran received an honorable discharge, or was released under honorable circumstances.