i17

FUGITIVE APPREHENSION AGENT (DOC)

BASIC PURPOSE:
Positions in this job family are assigned responsibilities for performing advanced level specialized investigations in order to locate, apprehend and return offenders who have escaped the custody of the Department of Corrections. Additional investigations include those related to criminal activities within state correctional facilities, administrative investigations concerning violations of policy by staff, background investigations on new employees, and investigations of facilities to insure compliance with operational procedures concerning inmate security.

TYPICAL FUNCTIONS:
•   The functions within this job family vary by level, but may include the following:
•   Plans, conducts and coordinates specialized investigations in order to locate, apprehend and return offenders who have escaped the custody of the Department of Corrections (DOC). Gathers and analyzes information, including interviews of cellmates, associates, relatives, visitors, and DOC employees who had daily contact with the escapee; attempts to identify and interview other individuals who might know the present whereabouts of the escapee.
•   Upon determining the escapee’s location, arrests and returns escapee to the custody of the Department of Corrections. Testifies in court regarding the investigation, apprehension and return to custody of the escapee for the prosecution on the escape charge.
•   Coordinates and participates in undercover investigations, raids and/or surveillance of persons or targeted locations or establishments where it is believed the escaped offender is present; obtains and executes arrests and search warrants and other court orders; prepares and presents affidavits to District Attorneys, and testifies in court on new felony charges that are discovered during fugitive investigations.
•   Assists federal, state, county and city law enforcement agencies with criminal investigations of law violations occurring on Department of Correction’s property or those involving department employees, inmates or community supervised offenders.
•   Plans and implements executive protection assignments when investigation reveals legitimate threats made against the Director and/or members of Executive Staff; assignments include but are not limited to: intelligence gathering, static and mobile surveillance, shadow and bodyguard details; provides security for visiting dignitaries.
•   Assists agency Legal Division as requested with ongoing cases, including, but not limited to, surveillance, record inquiries, and service of subpoenas in civil and criminal cases.
•   Maintains a current record system of all escapees at large; maintains various types of equipment in a constant state of readiness; notifies all law enforcement agencies of escapes. Assists agency Legal Division as requested with ongoing cases including, but not limited to, surveillance, record inquiries, and service of subpoenas in civil and criminal cases.
•   Conducts criminal investigations of crimes occurring within a correctional facility, including murder, rape, illegal use of drugs, robbery, theft, arson and fraud; investigates accidents resulting in death or serious injury. Interviews witnesses, suspects, victims and others; secures crime scenes to insure preservation of evidence or clues; marks and tags evidence to maintain chain of custody; prepares appropriate investigative reports; appears and testifies in court.
•   Conducts quarterly inspections of facilities to monitor security procedures; completes background investigations on new employees; investigates alleged violations of policies and procedures; researches information concerning death row inmates and prepares reports of findings for review by the Governor; monitors inmate mail and telephone calls; maintains custody of contraband seized during security searches; maintains equipment and supplies for urinalysis testing.

LEVEL DESCRIPTOR:

Level I               Code:   I17A           Salary Band:   J
This is the basic level of this job family where employees are assigned responsibilities for performing a full range of investigations concerning inmate escapes, various crimes, and administrative investigations of policy violations by staff in an assigned institution, facility or area.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of the principles and techniques of investigation; of federal and state laws pertaining to search and seizures; of laws, rules and regulations pertaining to correctional operating units; of the methods and techniques of interviewing for the purpose of developing written reports and background information; of the methods and objectives of discipline required for persons under restraint; of the use and care of firearms; and of the use of deadly force and firearms safety practices. Ability is required to organize and present facts clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; to evaluate a situation and adopt an effective course of action; to exercise alertness and be able to respond quickly in an emergency; to successfully complete any necessary training required by the agency and maintain physical fitness necessary to discharge assigned duties and responsibilities.

Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of a bachelor’s degree, including at least twenty-four hours in any combination of penology, psychology, sociology, social work, criminology, education, police science or criminal justice administration and one year of professional experience conducting criminal investigations for a city, county, state or federal government law enforcement entity or social casework which involved field supervision of offenders for a government agency; or an equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting one additional year of qualifying experience for each year of the required education.

Level II               Code:   I17B           Salary Band:   K

This is the career level of this job family where employees are assigned responsibilities for a full range of investigations and inspections related to solving crimes committed in a correctional facility, the apprehension of escapees, violations of agency policies and background investigations on new employees. Responsibilities may include providing training and assistance to new agents in the completion of various requirements. Employees at this level perform work on high profile cases of wide scope and that are complex in nature. Polygraph examinations are also conducted by employees assigned to this level within the Department of Corrections.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include those identified in Level I plus the demonstrated ability to perform highly independent work, and the ability to conduct several investigations simultaneously.

Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of those identified in Level I plus two additional years of qualifying experience.

Note: No substitution will be allowed for the required three years of qualifying experience.

Level III           Code:   I17C           Salary Band:   L

This is the specialist level where employees serve as a subject matter expert in a specific area of investigations such as crime scene investigations, polygraph, cellular telephone forensics or computer forensics; responsible for more complex and difficult investigations and assignments.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities required at this level include those identified in Level II plus knowledge of a specific area of investigation practice; the ability to provide consultation, training, mentoring and oversight for other staff in the area of complex investigation practices.

Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of those identified in Level II plus two additional years of qualifying experience.

NOTE: No substitution will be allowed for the required five years of qualifying experience.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Applicants must possess a valid Oklahoma driver’s license at time of appointment in order to perform necessary travel; have and maintain physical and mental stamina adequate to perform the work; be willing to be on call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week; be willing to travel frequently and be away from home for extended periods of time; be willing to transfer where needed and to accept assignment anywhere in the state; pass a rigid character and background investigation; and be willing to accept the physical discomforts and/or dangers inherent in the work.

Applicants will be subject to drug testing.

Fugitive Apprehension Agents shall meet the training and screening requirements conducted by the Department and certified by the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training within twelve (12) months of employment. (57 O.S. 510)
No person who has been convicted of a nonviolent felony or crime involving moral turpitude and who has not received a full pardon from the proper authority, or who has been convicted of any other felony offense, is eligible for employment in this job classification. (70 O.S. 3311.E and 21 O.S. 1283.B)
No person who has received a verdict of guilty or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any offense required to register pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration Act is eligible for employment in this job classification. (57 O.S. 589.C)
No person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, who has not been pardoned for, or had the conviction expunged or set aside; or is subject to a court order that restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or the partner’s child or engaging in other conduct that would place an intimate partner or the partner’s child in reasonable fear of bodily injury and includes a finding that the person is a credible threat; or who has been dishonorably discharged from any branch of the armed services is eligible for employment in this job classification. (18 U.S.C. 922)