Supervising Investigator, Department of Motor Vehicles Series

California State Personnel Board Specification

​

Series established December 21, 1999

Scope

The classes in this series are used in the Investigations Division, Department of Motor Vehicles.

This specification describes the series of two Investigator classes used by the Investigations Division, Department of Motor Vehicles. These classes are used for positions that supervise or manage complex and sensitive criminal, administrative, and civil investigations and enforcement activities. Subordinates may provide technical assistance and training to local, State, and Federal law enforcement officers; provide fraud detection and awareness training to law enforcement and retail and financial industry personnel; testify as expert witnesses for prosecutors in State and Federal courts; confer with local, State, and Federal peace officers on complex investigations; work with informants and utilize sophisticated surveillance and electronic evidence-gathering equipment; gather intelligence data; and may serve in special assignments for the Department. Investigators of the Department of Motor Vehicles, as defined in Section 830.3(c) of the California Penal Code, perform the full range of peace officer duties and responsibilities in accomplishing their assignments.

Definition of Series

Subordinates conduct complex criminal, administrative, and civil investigations involving: identity theft, where an unknown suspect has assumed another's identity, ruining the true owners credit history and financial status, as well as their driving record; financial fraud amounting to multimillion dollar losses annually to the financial industry, involving bank and credit card fraud where assumed identities and/or fraudulent and counterfeit driver licenses and identification cards are used; the sale or theft of vehicles involving counterfeit documents; title washing, Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) switching, and odometer fraud; counterfeiting operations encompassing the manufacture, distribution, and sale of counterfeit driver licenses, identification cards, certificates of title, and registration indicia; security violations involving illegal access and/or sale of confidential personal information provided to and stored by the Department; employee fraud involving embezzlement, the waiving of licensing or identification requirements for personal gain or profit, and the illegal access and sale of confidential information contained on the DMV databases; vehicle industry crimes involving financial scams, bankruptcies, manufacturer-provided kickbacks to dealers on leased vehicles, and various other crimes involving large amounts of money from consignment frauds to corporate bust-outs; the sale of vehicles by unlicensed entities via the Internet; the sale of fictitious identification documents via the Internet and magazine publications; additionally, may be called upon to provide security and protection services for DMV employees and property in cases of emergency and/or threat; work in cooperation with private investigators and local, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies and prosecuting entities to provide criminal, administrative, and civil resolution to the crimes investigated; frequently conduct their own surveillance and undercover operations using sophisticated state-of-the-art equipment; are also responsible for preparing and serving their own search warrants and arrest warrants, in addition to making arrests; investigate crimes that routinely involve complex computer systems and networks requiring computer forensic expertise; and provide document recognition training to local, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies and banking and retail sales industries on the various documents either issued or used by the Department.

Definition ​of Levels

Supervising Investigator I, Depart​ment of Motor Vehicles

This is the working supervisory level in the series. Incumbents plan, organize, and direct a staff of investigators assigned to a geographical area in a region; provide assistance to high-level staff in the development of policies and procedures; may be assigned to headquarters to assist a superior in planning, developing, and directing a major component of the investigative program; may act as liaison with related law enforcement and allied agencies; may perform other administrative duties; and prepare reports and correspondence.

Supervising Investigator II​​​, Department of Motor Vehicles

This is the full supervisory level in the series. Incumbents plan, organize, and direct the investigation program in an assigned geographic region of the State; assign priorities and develop specific work plans for all program components in their region; review work progress and workload requirements; assist in the development and implementation of administrative policies and procedures. Incumbents may assist the Chief in planning, developing, and directing a statewide investigative program/operations; act in the absence of the Chief; and may act as liaison with related law enforcement and allied agencies.

Factors Affecting Positio​​n Allocation

Complexity and variety of investigations, independence of action and decision making, and degree of supervision exercised.

Minimum Qualificati​​​ons

All Levels​

Applicants may be admitted into the examination without meeting all of the requirements in this section, but the applicant must meet those requirements prior to appointment.

Must meet the peace officer selection standards developed by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training per Penal Code section 13510(a) and in accordance with existing law; and

Firearm Conviction Disqualification: Anyone who is restricted for employment-related purposes from accessing, possessing, carrying, receiving, or having under his/her control a firearm or ammunition under all applicable State or Federal laws is ineligible for appointment to any position in these classifications; and

Firearms Requirement: Persons convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence as defined in the amended Federal Gun Control Act of 1968 are disqualified from appointment to these classes; and

Training Requirements: Under provisions of Penal Code Section 832, successful completion of a training course in laws of arrest, search and seizure, and in firearms and chemical agents is a requirement for permanent status in these classifications; and

Supervising Investigator I, Department o​f Motor Vehicles

Either I

​Experience: Two years of experience in the California state service performing the duties of an Investigator with at least one year as an Investigator, Range B.

Or II​

​Experience: Three years of experience in an investigative assignment in a government agency, one year of which must have been at a level comparable to an Investigator, Range B. and

Education: Equivalent to two years of college with a major in criminal justice, police science, law enforcement, administration of justice, or criminology, and possession of, or eligibility for, the Peace Officer Standards and Training Specialized Supervisory Law Enforcement Certificate within 24 months of appointment.

Supervising Invest​igator II, Department of Motor Vehicles

Either I

​Experience: One year of experience in the California state service performing the duties of a Supervising Investigator I, Department of Motor Vehicles.

Or II

​Experience: Four years of progressively responsible experience as a peace officer involved in civil or criminal investigative work, including or supplemented by at least one year of supervisory experience in an investigative assignment. (Experience in the California state service applied toward this requirement must include at least one year performing the duties of a class at a level not less than that of a Supervising Investigator I, Department of Motor Vehicles.) and

Education: Equivalent to completion of two years of college with a major in criminal justice, police science, law enforcement, administration of justice, or criminology, and possession of, or immediate eligibility for, the Peace Officer Standards and Training Specialized Supervisory Law Enforcement Certificate within 24 months of appointment.

Knowledge and​​​ Abilities

Both Levels:​

Knowledge of: Administrative and criminal investigative techniques; interview and interrogation processes and procedures; provisions of the Vehicle Code, Civil Code, Government Code, Health and Safety Code, Business and Professions Code, California Penal Code, Controlled Substances Act, and all State and Federal laws relating to crimes committed regarding vehicles and vessels; laws and practices related to vehicle manufacturers, dealers, dismantlers, and the automotive industry, and other related codes; administrative and criminal procedures; methods used in securing and preserving of evidence; general training techniques and methods as applied to peace officer training; laws of arrest; and search and seizure; communication and active listening skills; behaviors indicative of potential hostility; techniques for effective interaction with diverse communities; how to approach problems with cultural awareness and sensitivity; cultural differences and similarities; implicit and explicit biases; community engagement and strategies and the benefits of effective community engagement; reporting obligations when biased behavior or misconduct is observed; characteristics protected under the Racial and Identity Profiling Act.

Ability to: Develop techniques, methods, and skills required in the conducting of administrative and criminal investigations; apply laws and rules of evidence to specific situations; gather and analyze facts and evidence and present such evidence as required; analyze situations accurately and take effective action; participate actively in surveillance operations; interview and interrogate; effect arrests; effectively control informants, paid operatives, and confidential informants; appear as an expert witness; use and maintain firearms; serve subpoenas; write and execute search warrants and subpoena duces tecum; prepare accurate investigation reports; establish and maintain cooperative working relationships; communicate effectively; effectively make use of computerized data and discern patterns of fraud; and provide technical advice and assistance to appropriate law enforcement and allied agencies; be open-minded, flexible, and willing to learn and understand other cultures; social and cultural perceptiveness; seek clarifying questions to get a better understanding of the issue(s); maintain neutrality; identify effective ways to communicate and/or provide support; work cooperatively with various cultural backgrounds and others in the community; defuse, negotiate, and resolve conflicts; recognize and respect diversity through words and actions; effectively investigate allegations of misconduct pursuant to departmental policy; treat all people with respect and in an unbiased and unprejudiced manner; recruit qualified individuals who understand and demonstrate respect for diverse communities.

Supervising Investigator ​​​I, Department of Motor Vehicles

Knowledge of: All of the above, and principles and techniques of supervision; advanced training techniques and methods as applied to peace officer training; and a supervisor's responsibility for promoting equal opportunity in hiring and employee development and promotion, and for maintaining a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment.

Ability to: All of the above, and plan and conduct the most difficult, complex, and sensitive administrative and criminal investigations; effectively supervise the work of a team of investigators and other administrative personnel; independently direct a special project or assignment; and effectively promote equal opportunity in employment and maintain a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment.

Supervising Inv​​estigator II, Department of Motor Vehicles

Knowledge of: All of the above, and techniques and methods used in administering specialized investigative and enforcement programs, in implementing training programs, and in exchanging information with multijurisdictional agencies; current management theories and methods of evaluation, organization, and functions of the Department of Motor Vehicles, and other local, State, and Federal agencies.

Ability to: All of the above, and administer and manage a law enforcement program; plan, organize, coordinate, evaluate, and direct the investigative efforts of multiple field offices in a given geographical area; implement training programs; assist in the formulation of the program's policies; assist in administering specialized investigator training programs statewide; address boards and bureaus, general public, and allied agencies regarding the Department's mission and purpose; utilize effective and contemporary methods of sound fiscal and personnel management; and research, recommend, and implement alternative organizational improvements.

Special Personal Cha​​racteristics

Both Levels:​

Willingness to work in various locations throughout the State and at odd and irregular hours; keenness of observation; good memory for names, faces, places, and incidents; tact; satisfactory record as a law-abiding citizen; ability to work under stress and adverse conditions; and possession of a valid driver license of the appropriate class issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Special Physical Charac​teristics

Both Levels:​​

Possession and maintenance of sufficient strength, endurance and agility necessary to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation; hearing, vision, and color vision sufficient to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.

Additional Desirable Characteristi​cs

Both Levels:​

In addition to the above knowledge and abilities, possession of the appropriate certificates as evidence of increased competency at each level is desirable.

Class Histo​​ry​