What are the responsibilities and job description for the CIVILIAN INVESTIGATOR position at County of Los Angeles?
TYPE OF RECRUITMENT
FILING PERIOD
We will be accepting online applications from Tuesday, August 5, 2025 at 8:00 A.M. (PT) until Monday, August 18, 2025, 5:00 P.M. (PT). All applications must be received before 5:00 P.M. (PT) on Monday, August 18, 2025 to be accepted.
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: https://hr.lacounty.gov/benefits/
Why work for us?
With more than 10 million residents, Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the nation! As the largest employer in Southern California, over 116,000 employees in more than 38 Departments, we provide vital public services as diverse as law enforcement, property assessment, public health protection, water conservation, cultural activities and many more.
We are dedicated professionals committed to preserving the dignity and integrity of the workplace as well as protecting the rights of each employee. The County has more than 2,300 different job descriptions, offering a lifetime of opportunities and careers. We offer one of the strongest public-sector benefits packages in the nation. Join us and discover a rich selection of health care options, robust retirement plans and the flexibility to work, relax, and rejuvenate in order to reach your fullest personal and professional potential.
Reviews business license or permit applications.Collects payments for licensing and/or permit fees.
Advises applicants of legal/regulatory compliance matters.
Conducts background investigations for business and applicant licenses/permits and makes decisions or recommendations to the appropriate agency.
Visits establishments to verify that valid licenses/permits are displayed and licensing standards are being upheld.
Conducts investigations to detect or verify suspected violations of laws, rules, or regulations; and issues citations or notices of violations when circumstances and conditions warrant such action.
Examines a variety of records to secure or verify information concerning suspected violations or violators.
Contacts and interviews individuals and representatives of business or governmental agencies; takes statements and evaluates evidence.
Responds to complaints and conducts routine checks or audits of businesses, such as massage establishments, pawnshops, secondhand dealers, gun dealers, salvage dealers, shooting ranges, tow companies, or casinos for license or permit misuse and other violations.
Gathers, assembles, preserves and reports facts, statements or affidavits and other evidence for use in legal or administrative actions.
Analyzes investigative findings to determine whether evidence warrants filing a criminal complaint; prepares investigation reports and assists attorneys assigned to cases in criminal prosecutions or administrative law proceedings, as required.
Maintains liaison with Federal, State, contract cities, local boards, commissions, and law enforcement agencies.
Represents the department and testifies in court or administrative proceedings as investigator, and makes subsequent investigations as requested by the prosecuting attorney or hearing officer.
Maintains records of enforcement activities, including warnings, complaints, inspections, violations, citations, or notices of violations.
Recommends suspension/revocation of operations due to licensing issues and works with the appropriate personnel to initiate administrative or legal proceedings, as required.
Evaluates applicants’ history by reviewing personnel files, federal and state tax returns, military personnel records, credit reports, and their background files at other law enforcement agencies.
Conducts interview(s) with applicants to review submitted paperwork, obtain information and clarification, and address discrepancies, if necessary.
Mentors new Civilian Investigators on work methods/processes, applicable laws and policies, and Departmental guidelines, as required.
Investigates the character and background of prospective employees to screen out unsuitable applicants for employment with the Sheriff’s Department.
Interviews applicants’ employers, supervisors, and co-workers and reviews employment file(s) to obtain information regarding attendance, job performance, and conduct.
Interviews applicants' past and current neighbors and property owners/managers to obtain information regarding residency history and conduct.
Prepares comprehensive reports to support the thorough and impartial evaluation of applicants' suitability for employment.
Submits completed case files for evaluations and decisions in a timely manner.
Drives to various locations within (and possibly outside of) Los Angeles County to perform job-related essential functions.
For more information, please view the classification specification: Civilian Investigator
Experience as a field investigator may be substituted for the required education on a year for year basis to a maximum substitution of two years of experience. Please note that education cannot substitute the required experience as a field investigator.
You must have at least one year of field investigative work experience** to qualify for this examination.
LICENSE
A valid California Class C Driver License is required to perform job-related essential functions.
Applicants 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 his / her 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 II – Light: This class includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10-pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION
*To qualify and receive credit for the required coursework, you MUST include a legible copy of your official transcripts, or an official letter from an 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 last day of filing. 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 education requirement. The document should show the date the coursework was completed and be in English; if it is in a foreign language, it must be translated and evaluated for equivalency to U.S. standards. For more information on our standards for educational documents, please visit:
https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/070812_PPG123.pdf(Download PDF reader) and
https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/205105_PPG_123_ACE_Resource_Guide.pdf(Download PDF reader)ALL APPLICANTS ARE REQUIRED TO MEET THE EDUCATION REQUIREMENT BY AUGUST 18, 2025.
**Field investigative work experience may include duties such as interviewing subjects, informants, and witnesses; following leads, searching for physical or documentary evidence; using evidence to substantiate findings or conclusions; examining records; preparing reports of investigative findings; preparing requests for criminal complaints.
ENDORSEMENT OF COUNTY QUALIFICATIONS
If you performed work that differs from the duties described in your class specification and believe you qualify for this opportunity, please provide verification via official documentation of additional responsibility bonus, out-of-class bonus, temporary assignment bonus or reclassification study with CEO Classification within seven (7) calendar days from the last day of filing. Employees do not need to submit such verification if they hold or have held a position that regularly performs functions in alignment with the requirements.
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 used 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.
EXAMINATION CONTENT
This examination consists of a computerized multiple-choice test worth 100% assessing: checking for errors, mathematical reasoning, written expression, reading comprehension, and data interpretation.
THE MULTIPLE-CHOICE TEST IS NOT REVIEWABLE BY APPLICANTS PER CIVIL SERVICE RULE 7.19.
APPLICANTS MUST ACHIEVE A PASSING SCORE OF 70% OR HIGHER ON THE EXAMINATION IN ORDER 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 contacted at a later time by a Sheriff’s Department representative that will guide you through the process. 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
DHR provides study guides and other test preparation resources to help applicants prepare for employment tests. While the guides may help in preparing for the test, we recommend reviewing all related materials that seem necessary.
- Various information can be found on DHR's website at https://hr.lacounty.gov/job-search-toolkit/. The section dedicated to test preparation is "Employment Test Assistance."
VETERAN'S CREDIT
If you are a veteran, you may be eligible for veteran's credit, which is an additional 10% of the total points added to a passing score. We will need a copy of your form DD214 to review, so please include that with your application or email it to sheriffexamsunit@lasd.org within seven (7) calendar days from the last day of filing.
ELIGIBILITY AND VACANCY INFORMATION:
The names of applicants 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 from the date of promulgation.
The list of successful applicants created from this exam will be used to fill vacancies within the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Personal Command, Personnel Administration Bureau.
SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS 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 POLICY 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.
AVAILABLE SHIFT: Any
APPOINTEES MUST BE WILLING TO WORK ANY SHIFT, INCLUDING EVENINGS, NIGHTS, WEEKENDS, AND HOLIDAYS.
APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION:
We only accept applications filed online. Applications submitted by U.S. mail, fax, or in person are not accepted. Apply online by clicking on the green "Apply" button at the top right corner of this posting. This website can also be used to get application status updates. Your application and supplemental questionnaire must be submitted electronically before 5:00 P.M., PT, on Monday, August 18, 2025.
Please fill out your application completely. Provide relevant job experience including employer's name and address, job title, beginning and ending dates, number of hours worked per week, and description of work performed.
We may verify information included in the application at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made. Falsification of information could result in refusal of application or rescission of appointment. Copying verbiage from the Requirements or class specification as your work experience will not be sufficient to demonstrate meeting the requirements. Doing so may result in an incomplete application and may lead to disqualification.
We will send notifications to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. If you choose to unsubscribe or opt out from receiving our emails, it is possible to view notices by logging into governmentjobs.com and checking the profile inbox. It is every applicant's responsibility to take steps to view correspondence, and we will not consider claims of missing notices to be a valid reason for re-scheduling an exam part. Register the below domains as approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk mail.
- emiranda@lasd.org
- noreply@governmentjobs.com
- info@governmentjobs.com
NO APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED OUTSIDE OF THE OFFICIAL APPLICATION FILING PERIOD, NO EXCEPTIONS.
TO ENSURE THAT YOUR APPLICATION HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY SUBMITTED, YOU MUST HAVE RECEIVED A CONFIRMATION EMAIL AS VERIFICATION.
NOTE: Applicants 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 required documents to sheriffexamsunit@lasd.org at the time of filing, or within seven (7) calendar days from the last day of 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:
Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number, so include yours when applying.
COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES:
For applicants who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County.
NO SHARING OF USER ID, EMAIL, AND PASSWORD:
All applicants must file their application using their OWN user ID and password. Using a family member or friend's user ID and password may erase an applicant'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 Examinations Unit
Department Contact Phone:(323) 526-5611
Department Contact Email: sheriffexamsunit@lasd.org
Salary : $76,427 - $102,985
