The mission of the Department of Police Accountability is to promptly, fairly and impartially investigate complaints against San Francisco police officers, make policy recommendations regarding police practices and conduct periodic audits of the San Francisco Police Department. Civilians who have never been police officers in San Francisco staff the Department of Police Accountability. Brochures are available in  English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Arabic.

The Department of Police Accountability was originally the Office of Citizen Complaints which was created as a separate city department by an amendment to the San Francisco City Charter (section 4.127) in 1982 and placed under the direct supervision of the Police Commission. In 2016, an amendment to the San Francisco City Charter (section 4.136) renamed the Office of Citizen Complaints the Department of Police Accountability, removed the Department of Police Accountability from the police department’s budget and provided to the Department of Police Accountability the power to conduct periodic audits of the San Francisco Police Department.

Under supervision in the Department of Police Accountability, performs professional-level investigative work in connection with complaints brought against sworn members of law enforcement agencies by the public. Essential functions include: receiving complaints in person, by telephone, in writing and by other means; answering questions and providing information on the functions and procedures of the Department of Police Accountability to complainant, sworn peace officers, witnesses, members of the public and others; identifying allegations and investigating complaints under the Department of Police Accountability; interviewing complainants, sworn peace officers, witnesses, experts and others; gathering documentary evidence in order to provide a body of information for analysis and resolution of complaints; analyzing information and evidence resulting from investigative activities and making recommendations; summarizing and explaining progress and results of investigations to complainants, sworn peace officers and their representatives; preparing lists and records accounting for status of assigned investigative caseload; writing detailed reports on each complaint investigation, including factual backup documentation, maintaining records, files, data and supporting documentation for each case handled; collecting evidence in a secure manner for evaluation and analysis, adhering to established customs and procedures regarding control and custody of records, including evidence; preparing lists and records accounting for status of assigned investigative caseload; establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with community groups, representatives of law enforcement agencies and other agencies; addressing and working with community groups, including participating in outreach and educational functions of the DPA; reviewing and analyzing electronic media of law enforcement encounters; preparing and providing care summaries for legal review; collecting civil and criminal court documents; may monitor law enforcement activities in crowd control situations; may testify before Police Commission or other legal bodies on the subject of particular investigations and findings. Also performs related duties as required.

Work requires discretion and tact in dealing with complainants, witnesses, members of the Police Department and others.

Special Requirements:

·         Requires the ability to work in stressful situations and/or with difficult, emotionally distressed or hostile persons;

·         Requires the use of an office productivity suite and other emergent technologies;

·         Requires working evenings, weekends or irregular hours;

·         Requires the ability to utilize an interpreter to conduct an interview

·         Requires necessitate field work in the community (conducting interviews, outreach activities), in areas not considered desirable and/or safe.

Education:
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.

Experience:
One (1) year of experience investigating allegations of official or employee misconduct.

Substitution:
Possession of a law degree (J.D.) may be substituted for the required experience.

Two (2) years of experience performing investigative work in a *professional field such as law, media/journalism, public health/welfare, human/civil rights, business (e.g. finance, insurance), education, social sciences, public policy/government or a related field may substitute for the required experience.

*Professional fields are further defined as: practicing law or law enforcement in a uniformed rank of a police, sheriff or fire department; and conducting investigations of:

·Public healthcare administration and service delivery

·Human rights violations with legal implications to an organization or individual

·Financial, legal, and ethical matters in for profit and non-profit businesses

·Education delivery, policy violations, and legal matters

·Social science service delivery in public and private organizations providing professional level social services

·Public policy or federal, state, or local governments regarding legal, ethical, and/or financial matters

Additional experience may be substituted for the required degree on a year-for-year basis (up to a maximum of 2 years). Thirty (30) semester units or forty-five (45) quarter units equal one (1) year.

Conditions of Employment
Article IV Executive Branch section 4.136 Department of Police Accountability of the City Charter stipulates that no employee of the Department of Police Accountability shall have previously served as a uniformed member of the San Francisco Police Department.

All City and County of San Francisco employees are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. For details on how it is applicable to your employment, please click here.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Questionnaire
Applicants will be sent via email a questionnaire by which to verify their qualifications. The notice will include the deadline for responding to the questionnaire. Both the online application and questionnaire will be reviewed to determine if the applicant meets the minimum qualifications. Failure to submit the questionnaire will result in disqualification from the exam process.

Written Exercise: (Weight 55%)
Candidates will be tested to determine their relative knowledge, skill and ability in job- related areas such as analytical ability, investigative techniques, and written communication.

Oral/Performance Exercise: (Weight 45%)
Candidates will be tested to determine their relative knowledge, skill and ability in job- related areas such as analytical ability and investigative techniques.

A pass-point will be established, and only candidates scoring at or above the pass-point will be placed on the eligible list and considered for appointment. The department may conduct additional procedures before making selections from the eligible list.

Eligible List/Score Report:
A confidential eligible list of applicants who have passed the exam process will be created for certification purposes only. An exam score report will be published, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. An eligible list shall be made available for public inspection upon request once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this exam process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.

The duration of the eligible list resulting from this exam process will be 12 months, and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director.

Certification:
The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be Rule of 10 Scores. Additional selection processes may be conducted by the hiring department prior to making final hiring decisions.

Specific information regarding this recruitment process is listed below:

• Application Opening - Monday, November 1, 2021
• Application Deadline - Monday, November 15, 2021

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

• Information About the Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Right to Work
• Diversity Statement

Exam Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the Dave Johnson at [email protected].

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT:  All City and County of San Francisco employees are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment.  For details on how it is applicable to your employment, please click here.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.