FORENSIC IDENTIFICATION SPECIALIST I

Job Description:

FORENSIC IDENTIFICATION SPECIALIST I

Description

Position/Program Information

FILING DATES

DECEMBER 16, 2024, at 8:00 A.M. (PT) TO JANUARY 14, 2025, before 5:00 P.M. (PT)


NO APPLICA TIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED OUTSIDE OF THE OFFICIAL APPLICATION FILING PERIOD, NO EXCEPTIONS.

EXAM NUMBER

J4332S

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT

Open Competitive Job Opportunity

REASONS TO JOIN OUR TEAM:

Check Out Our Outstanding Benefits!
Los Angeles County offers one of the strongest public-sector benefits packages in the nation:

• Flexible Benefit Plans - The County provides each employee with a monthly "benefit allowance" they can use to pay Dental coverage, Group Life Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Health Care Spending Accounts.
• Robust Retirement Packages - Contributory-defined benefit plan; option tax-deferred income plans that may include a County matching contribution up to 4% of employee's salary.
• Generous Maternity and Family Leave Benefits.
• Thirteen (13) paid holidays per year.

For more details on employee benefits, please visit https://hr.lacounty.gov/benefits/ .

NO OUT-OF-CLASS EXPERIENCE WILL BE ACCEPTED.

DEFINITION
Under close supervision, makes fingerprint comparisons, processes crime scenes for evidence, utilizes automated systems to compare latent fingerprints, prepares reports, and engages in other activities related to forensic identification.

CLASSIFICATION STANDARDS
Positions allocated to this class work under close supervision of a Forensic Identification Specialist II, Supervising Forensic Identification Specialist, or a higher-level supervisor. Positions in this class learn both field and laboratory analysis including processing crime scenes by recognizing, searching, collecting, and preserving physical evidence; developing latent fingerprints by using conventional techniques; utilizing automated systems for comparing latent fingerprints; and qualifying as an expert witness in court.

Essential Job Functions

Takes fingerprints and palm prints using printer's ink or computerized optical digital technology.

Develops, collects, and preserves latent fingerprints from typical surfaces using conventional techniques, chemical processing, and alternate light source technologies.

Compares latent prints to inked or digitally captured prints.

Prepares, enters, and compares latent fingerprints in an automated fingerprint identification system.

Participates in crime scene investigations to recognize, search for, collect, and preserve physical evidence.

Documents crime scenes through note-taking, diagramming, photographing, and video recording

Preserves impressions of shoe prints, tire tracks, and other objects at crime scenes through casting and photography.

Prepares detailed reports of crime scene investigations, other activities, and comparison results.

Accesses crime scenes in a variety of environments including remote areas requiring mountaineering and other entrance and egress techniques to document and collect evidence.

Testifies as an expert witness in court.

Serves on-call and responds to crime scene locations within LA County jurisdiction within short notice (typically departing within 20 minutes of notice) to process crime scenes during a 24-hour operation, including nights and on holidays.

Requirements

SELECTION REQUIREMENTS

OPTION I
Graduation from an accredited college with an Associate of Arts or Science degree* in criminalistics, police science, or a related field** with completion of a minimum of eight (8) semester units or twelve (12) quarter units of photography, crime scene investigation, fingerprinting, or criminalistics.

ALL APPLICANTS MUST MEET THE EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS BY JANUARY 14, 2025, IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS EXAMINATION.

OPTION II
Two years of experience at the level of Los Angeles County's class of a Forensic Technician II ***, Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems Technician II ***, Criminalistics Laboratory Technician ***, Photographer I ***, or work experience detecting, lifting, and retrieving latent prints from crime scenes, or providing direct assistance to forensic identification specialists or other law enforcement investigation professionals conducting field investigations.

LICENSE
A valid California Class C Driver License is required to perform job-related essential functions. Candidates offered these positions would be required to show proof of a driver license prior to appointment.

Out-of-state applicants must have a valid license from the state in which they reside at the time of filing. Out-of-state applicants will be required to obtain a California Class C Driver License prior to appointment.

LICENSE INFORMATION
Successful applicants for this position will be required to obtain a copy of their driving record from the California State Department of Motor Vehicles before being appointed. A copy of your driving record must be presented at the time of your appointment. License must not be suspended, restricted, or revoked. AN APPLICANT WHOSE DRIVING RECORD SHOWS THREE (3) OR MORE MOVING VIOLATIONS WITHIN THE LAST YEAR WILL NOT BE APPOINTED.

PHYSICAL CLASS:
Physical Class III - Moderate: This class requires that the incumbent stand or walk most of the time with bending, stooping, squatting, twisting, reaching, working on irregular surfaces, occasional lifting of objects weighing over 25 pounds, and frequent lifting of 10-25 pounds.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION
*In order to receive credit for the required coursework and degree, you MUST include a legible copy of the official transcripts AND official degree, or official letter from the accredited institution which shows the completed semester/quarter units of coursework in the areas of specialization at the time of filing, or within seven (7) calendar days from the date of filing your online application. Please submit documentation to sheriffexamsunit@lasd.org and indicate your name, the exam title and the exam number. Failure to provide the required documentation will result in application rejection. Unofficial transcripts will not be accepted to meet the educational requirement.

**Related fields include, but are not limited to: Administration of Justice, Criminal Justice, Anthropology, Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Engineering, Fire Technology, Forensic Science, Geology, Genetics and Cell Biology, Health Science, Microbiology, Molecular Genetics, Photography, Physics, Physiology, Psychology, and Sociology.

***For a full description of the class specifications of Los Angeles County's Forensic Technician II (Item # 4888), Automated Fingerprint Identification System Technician II (Item # 1552), Criminalistics Laboratory Technician (Item # 4331), and Photographer I (Item # 7076) please click the hyperlink on the job title OR go to Department of Human Resources website at http://hr.lacounty.gov/ and type in the job title or item number under "FIND JOB DESCRIPTIONS" search box.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE
As part of this application process, applicants will be required to complete a supplemental questionnaire. The questionnaire contains a pre-investigative questionnaire which will be utilized as part of the background investigation process to ensure applicants meet the standards set forth by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Applicants who fail the pre-investigative questionnaire will be disqualified and will have to wait three (3) months from the date of the disqualification in order to reapply.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Credit will be given to applicants who possess DESIRABLE qualifications and indicate so on their employment application at the time of filing.

Coursework* completion earned as part of a certificate or degree program in the field of forensics (40 hours of coursework = 4 quarter units = 2.67 semester units):

• Coursework in the Friction Ridge Examination Process
• Coursework in Courtroom Testimony (which includes at least an overview of the legal system, how evidence is presented in court, and how to answer questions in the courtroom)
• Coursework in Crime Scene Photography
• Coursework in Sketching Crime Scenes or Measuring Crime Scene Evidence

At least two (2) years of experience as a latent print examiner, crime scene investigator, or crime scene investigator who investigates crimes against persons beyond the minimum requirements.

A Bachelor's degree* from an accredited college or university.

Additional Information

EXAMINATION CONTENT
This examination will consist of three (3) parts:

PART I
A computerized multiple-choice test covering reading comprehension, written expression, checking for errors, pattern recognition, and situational judgement weighted 40%.

THE MULTIPLE CHOICE TEST IS NOT REVIEWABLE BY CANDIDATES PER CIVIL SERVICE RULE 7.19.

ONLY CANDIDATES WHO ACHIEVE A PASSING SCORE OF 70% OR HIGHER ON PART I WILL PROCEED TO PART II.

PART II
A structured interview assessing applied experience and training, adaptability, friction skin evidence process, photography, identification of fingerprints, evidence processing, crime scene processing, verbal communication, and written communication, weighted 45%. As part of the interview, candidates will also be required to complete a brief writing exercise. Candidates who do not submit a writing exercise will be disqualified from this examination.

ONLY CANDIDATES WHO ACHIEVE A PASSING SCORE OF 70% OR HIGHER ON PART II WILL PROCEED TO PART III.

PART III
An evaluation of training, education, and experience based upon application information and desirable qualifications weighted 15%.

CANDIDATES MUST ACHIEVE A PASSING SCORE OF 70% OR HIGHER ON EACH WEIGHTED PART TO BE PLACED ON THE ELIGIBLE LIST.

TESTING ACCOMMODATION
If you require an accommodation to fairly compete in any part of the assessment process, you will be required to submit documentation from a qualified medical provider or other qualified professional to support your request for a testing accommodation. Please note, you will be provided with an initial deadline to submit documentation. Failure to submit the required documentation by the deadline will delay your participation in the examination process and consideration for initial placement on the eligible list.

TEST PREPARATION
Study guides and other test preparation resources are available to help candidates prepare for employment tests. While the guides will help you prepare for the test, we advise you to review all related materials you deem necessary.

• An interactive, Online Test Preparation System for taking practice tests may be accessed at the Department of Human Resources website at http://hr.lacounty.gov/ . Please click on "Find a Job" and then "Job Search Toolkit." Test Preparation Information is located under the "Employment Test Assistance" section.
  

Please note that these resources are intended to provide general information about the types of tests and assessments used by the County of Los Angeles. These resources do not contain details of the exam nor specific questions you will be asked to answer during the test administration. The exam content section describes the areas assessed by the test and you are invited to study and review whatever material you believe will help you to prepare.

VETERAN'S CREDIT
If you served in the military and were honorably discharged, you may qualify for Veteran's Credit. To receive this credit, please include a copy of your DD214 Form issued by the branch of service with your application.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
The names of candidates receiving a passing grade in the examination will be placed on the eligible list in the order of their score group for a period of six (6) months following the date of promulgation.

SPECIAL INFORMATION

SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES MUST COMPLETE A THOROUGH BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION, INCLUDING FINGERPRINT SEARCH. Examples of disqualifying factors include: Any felony convictions; job related misdemeanor convictions; certain serious traffic convictions or patterns of traffic violations (3 moving violations in one year; failure to appear; at-fault accidents; suspended license; driving under the influence); poor credit history; poor employment history; substance abuse; anyone on probation.

ZERO TOLERANCE POLCIY IF HIRED
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (Department) has a "zero tolerance" policy for its employees for the following:

• use of narcotics, controlled substances, and/or prescription drugs without a prescription.

Any employee found in violation of this policy will be subject to discharge.

VACANCY INFORMATION
The eligible list resulting from this examination will be used to fill vacancies in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Technology and Support Division, Scientific Services Bureau.

AVAILABLE SHIFT Any Shift

APPOINTEES MUST BE WILLING TO WORK ANY SHIFT, INCLUDING EVENINGS, NIGHTS, WEEKENDS, AND HOLIDAYS.

APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION

APPLICATIONS MUST BE FILED ONLINE ONLY. APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED BY U.S. MAIL, FAX, OR IN PERSON WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

TO ENSURE THAT YOUR APPLICATION HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY SUBMITTED, YOU MUST HAVE RECEIVED A CONFIRMATION EMAIL AS VERIFICATION.

All applicants are required to submit a Standard County of Los Angeles Employment application and supplemental questionnaire ONLINE only. Resumes cannot be accepted in lieu of applications, although resumes and supporting documents may be uploaded as attachments to the online application.

Fill out your application and supplemental questionnaire completely. Provide any relevant education, training, and experience in the spaced provided so we may evaluate your qualifications for the job. All information is subject to verification and applications may be rejected at any time during the selection process.

The acceptance of your application depends on whether you have clearly shown that you meet the SELECTION REQUIREMENTS and you have completely fill out your application.

Apply online by clicking on the green "Apply" button at the top right of this posting. You can also track the status of your application using this website. Your application and supplemental questionnaire must be submitted electronically before 5:00 p.m., PT, on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.

NO APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED OUTSIDE OF THE OFFICIAL APPLICATION FILING PERIOD, NO EXCEPTIONS.

Plan to submit your online application well in advance of the 5:00 P.M. (PT) deadline on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, as you may be required to verify your email address. This only needs to be done once per email address, and if you already have a job seeker account on www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacounty, you can verify at any time by logging in and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of your online application and to ensure you do not enter an incorrect email address.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• Please note that ALL information included in the application materials is subject to VERIFICATION at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made.
• FALSIFICATION of any information may result in DISQUALIFICATION or RESCISSION OF APPOINTMENT.
• Utilizing VERBIAGE from Class Specification and Selection Requirements serving as your description of duties WILL NOT be sufficient to demonstrate that you meet the requirements. Doing so may result in an INCOMPLETE APPLICATION, and you may be DISQUALIFIED.

CORRESPONDENCE AND UPDATES WILL BE SENT VIA E-MAIL.

• All notices including invitation letters, result letters, and notices of non-acceptance will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application. It is important that you provide a valid email address. Please add selockwo@lasd.org as well as noreply@governmentjobs.com, and info@governmentjobs.com to your email address book and list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk/clutter mail. Please note, if you opt out of receiving emails, you can visit governmentjobs.com, log into your profile and check your inbox. The inbox retains a copy of all emails sent, for your records.

NOTE: Candidates who apply online must upload any required documents as attachments during application submission. If you are unable to attach required documents, you may fax the documents to (323) 415-2580 or email any outstanding documents required to sheriffexamsunit@lasd.org at the time of filing or within seven (7) calendar days from the date of application filing. Failure to provide the required documentation will result in application rejection. Please include your Name, the Exam Number, and the Exam Title on the faxed documents.

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER
Please include your Social Security Number for record control purposes. Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number.

NO SHARING OF USER ID AND PASSWORD
All applicants must file their application online using their own user ID and password. Using a family member or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.

California Relay Services Phone: (800) 735-2922
ADA Coordinator Phone: (213) 229-1621
Teletype Phone: (213) 626-0251
Department Contact Name: Professional Exams Unit
Department Contact Phone: (323) 526-5611
Department Contact E-mail: sheriffexamsunit@lasd.org

For more information on Employment Information, click on the link below:
http://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/247636_EmploymentInformation.pdf

For detailed information, please click here

Closing Date/Time: 1/14/2025 5:00 PM Pacific

Salary:

$80,682.72 - $102,985.20 Annually