About this opportunity
Agnello & Rogers lists this MAJOR CASE SPECIALIST - COPA opportunity in chicago, Illinois. Review the employer’s description below for duties, qualifications and application requirements.
Job description
Description
BID/JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
MAJOR CASE SPECIALIST - COPA
Civilian Office of Police Accountability
Investigations Unit
Number of Positions: 1 (Additional vacancies possible pending budget approval)
Starting Salary: $99,408.00
This position is open to current AFSCME BIDDERS AND the PUBLIC. Only current City employees covered under the City's Collective Bargaining Agreement with AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY, AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES (AFSCME) - BARGAINING UNIT 1, 3, 4, & 5 are considered BIDDERS and eligible to bid. Qualified BIDDERS who properly submit a bid application will receive preference over any non-bidders.
*Successful candidates must pass a background investigation and drug test. Persons offered employment must pass all pre-employment exams prior to appointment.
Applications for this position will be accepted until 11:59 pm Central time on 10/09/2026.
Under direction, functions as lead investigator in sworn police officer-involved death investigations as defined by the Police and Community Relations Improvement Act. Investigates allegations of excessive force or official misconduct against members of the Chicago Police Department, including cases involving serious injury, multiple complaints, and shooting incidents, and performs related duties as required.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES
Directs the work of the investigative staff on major case investigations
Responds to the scene of incidents resulting in death or serious injury to non-department members and coordinates and conducts investigative activities related to such incidents as required
Monitors on-scene activities of department evidence technicians for officer involved death investigations and investigations involving the discharge of a weapon by a department member, as required
Interviews complainants, witnesses and department members to gather facts in order to investigate incidents involving possible misconduct by department members
Conducts canvasses at the location of the incident to locate witnesses, obtain relevant information and evidence
Obtains and analyzes reports related to the incident, including reports related to forensic and scientific analysis
Maintains working knowledge of department rules, policies and general orders
Prepares reports of investigation activities conducted to document investigative process
Updates and maintains case management records to report on status of investigations
Maintains comprehensive, organized case files and manages documents pursuant to all legal rules
Obtains and reviews court documents in related civil and criminal matters to identify relevant information and statements made by department members and witnesses
Consults and collaborates with Legal staff as needed to identify, assess and address legal issues
Collaborates with attorneys to prepare and present at police disciplinary arbitrations and police board hearings, including the assessment and development of litigation strategy
Consults with attorneys to review disciplinary charges prior to being presented to department members to ensure accuracy and consistency with investigatory findings
Maintains contact with CPD detectives to stay apprised of investigative developments in related criminal investigations
Identifies and reports on opportunities for pattern and practice investigations; conducts pattern and practice investigations at the direction of management
Testifies in court, arbitration hearings and before the Police Board as needed
Collaborates with the Cook County State's Attorney's Office and the U. S. Attorney's Office to prepare cases for criminal proceedings
Identifies areas of improvement to police department tactics and training based on information obtained through investigations
Monitors cases as they proceed through the disciplinary system to ensure timely completion
Prepares reports of investigation based on analysis of the evidence in light of the legal framework and makes preliminary recommendations regarding appropriate disciplinary action or other intervention that is appropriate based on the investigatory findings
Additional duties may be required for this position.
DEPARTMENT: Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA)
UNIT: Investigations
ADDRESS: 1615 W Chicago Ave
SHIFT: Monday through Friday
HOURS: 9 :00 am - 5:00 pm (with on-call rotation availability)
*Availability to work nights and weekends is required
THIS POSITION IS IN THE CAREER SERVICE.
Qualifications
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education, Training, and Experience
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree, PLUS four (4) years of experience conducting investigations (criminal, civil or fact finding), with at least two (2) of the four (4) years conducting misconduct investigations that involve gathering, analyzing and evaluating evidence; conducting in-depth research, analysis and report writing; and conducting interviews with witnesses.
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a master's degree or higher, PLUS three (3) years of experience conducting investigations (criminal, civil or fact finding), with at least one (1) of the three (3) years conducting misconduct investigations that involve gathering, analyzing and evaluating evidence; conducting in-depth research, analysis and report writing; and conducting interviews with witnesses.
Licensure, Certification, or Other Qualifications
A valid State of Illinois driver's license is required
Availability to work any duty watch is required
Availability to participate in the on-call rotation in response to incidents requiring immediate investigation by the agency
Certification: Certified by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board as a Lead Homicide Investigator, or similar training approved by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board or the Department of State Police, or similar training provided at an Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board certified school
Certification: Is willing to undergo such training within six months of hire in order to maintain position as a Major Case Specialist
Preference will be given to candidates possessing the following:
A Juris Doctorate degree from an ABA-accredited law school
Previous professional experience with a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency as a sworn law enforcement officer
Previous professional experience investigating incidents involving death or serious injury
Trained or certified by an accredited body as a Lead Homicide Investigator
Previous full-time employment with a local, state, or federal oversight agency
Previous professional experience conducting investigations of employee misconduct or criminal conduct for either a government entity or a business entity that is not a retail establishment
Previous professional experience prosecuting or defending felony criminal cases
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Ability to walk and stand for extended or continuous periods of time
Ability to access locations where shootings or alleged misconduct occurred
NOTE: Per City of Chicago Municipal Ordinance 2-78-120, no investigator employed by COPA shall be a current or former sworn member of CPD within the last five years.
NOTE: You must provide your transcripts or diploma AND valid driver's license at the time of processing.
SELECTION REQUIREMENTS
This position requires applicants to successfully pass a skills assessment test and complete an interview, which will include a written exercise. Test results will be sent out by the Department of Human Resources after test results have been compiled and analyzed. Applicants who receive a passing score on the test will be selected to interview. The interviewed candidate(s) receiving a passing score on the test and possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, based on the oral interview and written exercise, will be selected for hire . Selected Bidders will be hired in seniority order according to the collective bargaining agreement.
For Information on our employees benefits please visit our benefits website at:
For Information on our salary and title structure visit our classifications website at:
APPLICATION EVALUATION: Initial
Initial evaluation will be based on information provided on the application and the documents submitted. Department of Human Resources staff will review applications after the final posting date. Staff will follow any and all required Employment/Hiring Plan provisions, federal, state and local laws, and Collective Bargaining Agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago.
COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY:
To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience the City of Chicago has adopted the following ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces, and/or residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA) and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates to be referred to departments for consideration. These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders, as Collective Bargaining Agreements define the hiring process for bidders. For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates.
ALL REFERENCES TO POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP OR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE OMITTED FROM ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR CITY EMPLOYMENT.
The City of Chicago is an Equal Employment Opportunity, Military Friendly, and Fair Chance Employer.
City of Chicago
Brandon Johnson, Mayor
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Worksite address
chicago, IL, 60290, US
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.