Investigative Assistant - District… at Brazos County · Location…

General Summary:

Receives, reviews, and investigates criminal cases filed with the District Attorney's office; requests for additional information, and investigator's reports and notes; assists attorneys on cases by obtaining certified copies of documents, conducting follow up interviews with victims/witnesses, coordinating polygraph examinations, and photographing crime scenes; assists various attorneys with all aspects of a trial, including juries, evidence, testimony, and progress of the case; assists with grand jury and pre trial hearings; issues subpoenas for witnesses and records; and conducts special investigations upon request.

Essential Duties:

Logs, stores, transports, delivers, destroys all evidence pertaining to felony cases; 

Reviews, receives, and investigates criminal cases filed with the District Attorney’s office, including locating, setting up and conducting interviews for, taking statements from, and issuing subpoenas to victims and witnesses, both in and out of state;

Interprets for Spanish speaking witnesses/victims, Accompanies Assistant District Attorneys to witness interviews;

Delivers grand jury notices;

Gathers evidence pertaining to criminal investigations, including photographing and/or videotaping crime scenes, attending autopsies, obtaining hospital records, obtaining evidence from crime labs, and checking criminal histories; Contacts various law enforcement agencies, including requesting more information for cases and obtaining Agency Offense Reports;

Maintains and prepares evidence for trial, including enlarging and mounting photographs and scene diagrams, duplicating/redacting audio and video CD/DVD’s, and preparing reports;

Assists in getting confessions from Spanish speaking defendants and/or suspects in a case;

Obtains certified copies of materials, such as court documents, agency reports, jail records, photographs, fingerprint cards, vehicle registrations, driver's licenses, and "pen pacs";

Schedules and coordinates polygraph examinations, including copying the case for the examiner, reviewing the case with the examiner, transporting subject to and from the examination site, observing the examination, reviewing the results with the examiner, taking statements or confessions if needed, and reporting results to the attorney on the case;

Assists attorneys in jury selection process, including reviewing jury panel information sheets, conducting criminal history checks on jury panel, and making recommendations for jury selection;

Assists attorneys in trial, including setting up exhibits, operating sound and visual systems, obtaining background information on witnesses, transporting witnesses to and from the courthouse, and keeping witnesses ready to testify;

Listens to all testimony presented in case, including watching out for inconsistencies and observing nonverbal responses of the jurors; Confers with attorneys regarding evidence and testimony presented and the overall progress of the case;

Assists with Grand Jury and pre trial hearings, including transporting witnesses and prisoners to and from courthouse, delivering subpoenaed records, and obtaining certified copies of records;

Assists other investigators as needed; Assists other law enforcement agencies on investigations, including reviewing cases, investigating crime scenes, performing surveillance functions, and serving warrants.

Other Duties as assigned.

Supervision

Received:

From Chief Investigator & District Attorney

Given:

This is a non-supervisory position

Education

Required:

High school graduation or its equivalent, with 2-5 years experience in a related field preferred; or any equivalent combination of education and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Preferred:

Experience

Required:

Texas Criminal Code rules and procedures; the legal system; personal computers and software; safe operation of firearms; use of still and video cameras; operation of office equipment, including copy machine and facsimile machine; operation of investigative equipment, including fingerprint equipment, communication equipment; criminal investigations and trials; and personnel management policies and procedures.

Preferred:

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

Required:

Class C Driver’s License with a good driving record

Preferred:

Physical Demands

Typical:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; bend and kneel; and talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to stand and walk. The employee must frequently lift and/or move objects weighing up to 20 pounds, such as books, stacks of records, or other similar objects. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

Typical:

Read, analyze, and interpret case information; determine priority of tasks and/or items to be gathered for investigations; gather various information related to cases; write reports, memos, and letters; interview victims, witnesses, suspects, and defendants in cases to collect statements and confessions; operate camera and video equipment; communicate effectively, both in person and on the phone; analyze trial and courtroom proceedings, including making recommendations to attorneys regarding witnesses, evidence, and juries; and maintain effective working relationships with attorneys, judges, other law enforcement officers, and coworkers.

Work Environment

Typical:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is constantly required to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, and to work closely with others as a part of a team.  The employee is frequently required to work under time pressures and to perform tedious and exacting work. The employee is occasionally required to switch from one task to another.  The employee may experience varying periods of idle time interspersed with emergencies requiring intense concentration. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.