Salary: $6,559.91 - $8,149.45 per month ($6,756.82 - $8,393.82 Effective January 1, 2009)

Final Filing Date: Open Until Filled

Duties: Positions allocable to this class perform a wide range of handwriting and questioned document examinations and analysis requiring the application of specialized technical knowledge and provide technical supervision and direction thereof to detectives and investigators in the Sheriff's Department, District Attorney's Office and other law enforcement agencies.

• Eliminates and/or identifies authors of questioned handwriting, and/or hand printed documents by comparing the details and elements of the writing on the document in question with known handwriting specimens (ex: threats, embezzlements, extortion notes, letters, checks, legal documents, maps, lists, signatures).
• Examines mechanical impressions that are present in questioned documents and compares them to exemplar documents and/or exemplar devices to determine the identity of the mechanism used to create the mechanical impression ( ex: rubber stamps, printers, typewriters, photocopiers, dry seals).
• Examines various elements of questioned documents including printing processes, visualization and sequencing of latent writing and indentation(s) on documents, paper, ink, fraudulent alterations, page substitutions, erasures, as well as the source, date and likely generation of photocopies. This is done via such things as comparing dates of manufacture with dates appearing on the document, spectral analysis of ink, comparing questioned documents with exemplar documents and using oblique lighting.
• Deciphers and/or reconstructs/restores altered and illegible documents through the use of photography, computer-assisted image enhancement, and the use of various light sources and filters (ex: charred, torn, shredded, eradicated, faded, bleached and chemically "washed" samples).
• Arrives at conclusions and prepares reports which document findings.
• Testifies in court as an expert witness and prepares court exhibits, if appropriate.
• Maintains reference files for items such as typewriters, printing processes, inks, pens, pencils, papers and other related elements of forensic document examination.
• Operates and maintains laboratory equipment and apparatus.

Requirements: Successful completion of a recognized, full-time questioned document training program or its equivalent* - AND - Three years paid experience in questioned document examination in connection with criminal investigations.

How to apply: See http://www.lasd.org/recruitment/J2752-forensic-documents-examiner.pdf

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Posted: November 28, 2008