Crime Scene Specialist

Duties:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Duties include the following:

• Evaluates crime scenes and ensures that they are protected.
• Photographs and records crime scenes using advanced equipment and techniques.
• Searches crime scenes thoroughly for physical evidence.
• Locates, collects, preserves and documents latent fingerprints using advanced equipment and techniques.
• Locates, collects, marks, preserves and documents physical evidence.
• Prepares advanced diagrams of crime scenes.
• Prepares reports, presents and testifies to forensic evidence in official proceedings/courtroom testimony.
• While performing inquest duties: investigates the physical and medical aspects of natural and unnatural deaths by responding to scenes or taking reports over the telephone which will assist the Justice of the Peace in determining the cause and manner of death,
• Receives notification of deaths and establishes whether death is within the jurisdiction of Comal County using standardized guidelines.
• Performs death scene investigations by attending the scene, interviewing and cooperating with various law enforcement and government agencies, family and friends of the decedent. Photographs the scene, collects evidence and follows up with the capture of medical and personal history of the decedent.
• Assists in the identification of deceased through non-medical and medical means.
• Gathers and enters data generated during investigations and prepares reports, including both verbal and written presentations.
• Meets with families of deceased to explain death and to assist with the initial grieving process.
• Performs customer service functions in person and by telephone; provides information or assistance regarding department services, activities, forms, procedures, fees, or other issues; responds to routine questions and complaints;.
• Communicates and prepares detailed reports of death investigation findings which are to be provided to the respective Justice of the Peace within 8 hours of leaving a death investigation location.
• Provides courtroom testimony as needed.
• Performs other related duties and responsibilities as assigned.
• Attendance is an essential function of the job.

Requirements:

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• High School Diploma or GED equivalent required. Four (4) year degree from an accredited college in Criminal Justice or related field of study. Two (2) years prior experience in collection/processing of evidence, crime scene photography, or other similar field of study; or a combination of education and experience is required.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

• Must possess a valid Texas Driver's license in order to operate county vehicles.
• Must enroll in the online Death Investigation class (40 HRS. - LS FSA114 101) and pass the examination offered through TEEX.Org. within one (1) year of hire.

DESIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Ability to read and interpret documents, i.e., safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees or organizations.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume.

REASONING ABILITY

• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, and taste or smell. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move more than 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• 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 occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions; moving mechanical parts; high, precarious places; fumes or airborne particles; toxic or caustic chemicals; outside weather conditions; extreme cold; extreme heat; risk of electrical shock; explosives; risk of radiation; and vibration.
• This position has been identified with possible risk of exposure of blood-borne pathogens and/or other various hazards that require immunization against such exposure. This position requires the handling of Biohazard materials and other dangerous objects.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

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