BID/JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

INVESTIGATOR – COPA

Civilian Office of Police Accountability

Investigations Unit

Number of Positions: 5 (Additional vacancies possible pending budget approval)

Starting Salary: $81,636.00

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 are eligible to bid. Qualified BIDDERS who properly submit a bid application will receive preference over any non-bidders.

BID INSTRUCTIONS: Apply on the bid site: https://chicago.taleo.net/careersection/103/jobsearch.ftl?lang=en AND

Check the box on your profile titled “Currently employed by the City of Chicago”
Enter your employee ID (located on your pay stub labeled ‘payee/employee number’)
Select your correct bargaining unit

FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS WILL RESULT IN A REJECTED BID APPLICATION.

*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 10/08/2026.

Under general supervision, investigates allegations of misconduct against members of the Chicago Police Department (CPD), including incidents involving excessive force, improper search or seizure, domestic violence, coercion and verbal abuse, as well as investigations of certain conduct of members of CPD, including incidents involving death or serious injury to a member of the public, and performs related duties as required.

Essential Duties

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 medical reports and 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
Assists Major Case Specialists in conducting complex investigations as required
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

DAYS OFF: Saturday and Sunday

THIS POSITION IS IN THE CAREER SERVICE.

Minimum Qualifications

Education, Training, and Experience

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree or higher, PLUS two (2) years of experience conducting civil, criminal or factual investigations that involve gathering, analyzing and evaluating evidence; conducting in depth research, analysis and report writing; and conducting interviews with witnesses.

Should the above criteria not be fulfilled, the following options are acceptable:

Graduation from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school

Licensure, Certification, Or Other Qualifications

A valid State of Illinois driver’s license is required.
Availability to work any duty watch is required.
Post-graduate degree in Public Policy, Political Science, Social Science, Government or Law, preferred

Preference Will Be Given To Candidates Possessing The Following

Juris Doctorate degree from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school
2+ years of experience investigating, prosecuting or defending felony criminal cases
Previous professional experience with a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency as a sworn law enforcement officer
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

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 complete an interview, which will include a written exercise and/or a skills assessment test as part of the interview. The interviewed candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, based on the oral and written parts of the interview will be selected. 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:

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fin/benefits-office.html

For Information on our salary and title structure visit our classifications website at:

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dhr/provdrs/Job_Classification_Compensation/svcs/classification-and-pay-plan.html#docaccess-ba6c316e7a6d538348ff53b1eeebb6ab

APPLICATION EVALUATION: 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. To learn more about our hiring practices click here.

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

Job Posting

Sep 24, 2026, 12:00:00 AM

City of Chicago

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INVESTIGATOR - COPA