Consumer Protection Investigator 2
Category: Classified/Excluded
Pay Grade: C26
Job Code: 21832
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.
JOB SUMMARY
This is advanced investigative work in consumer protection matters. Employees in this class may be responsible for supervising or coordinating an operational and administrative area for the control, coordination and supervision of compliance check programs, consumer complaint analysis, dispute resolution, criminal investigation programs, as well as issuance of licenses and code enforcement as required by various county ordinances. Employees in this job class are required to coordinate and plan activities with a high level of independence. Duties include the compilation and reporting of data related to the above programs.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS (examples, not all inclusive)
- Analyzes consumer-initiated complaints prior to investigation to screen out baseless complaints and selects complaints for action;
- Organizes and conducts informal hearings, personal contacts, field inspections and conferences to mediate-negotiate equitable resolution of consumer-businesses disputes or bring businesses into voluntary compliance with consumer protection laws;
- Supervises or coordinates and supports investigative, office, and technical staff in processing complaints, cases, and licensing;
- Participates in complex consumer investigations as necessary and conducts final review of completed investigations;
- Attends investigations with State Attorney and participates in criminal hearings and trials as necessary;
- Provides information for the consumer fraud intelligence file and originates, prepares and presents consumer education and information speeches and programs to the public and other agencies;
- Organizes, oversees, and conducts investigations of cases involving criminal and civil violations of consumer protection laws and reviews final investigative reports;
- Works with the State Attorney’s Office in prosecution of criminal cases and presents charges in administrative and dispute resolution hearings;
- Reviews applications and issues licenses as required by county ordinances relating to bingo and adult use establishments;
- Enforces county ordinances related to charitable solicitations, bingo, fortunetelling, moving, adult use establishments, and others as appropriate or assigned, including issuing citations to individuals who are in violation of those ordinances;
- Cooperates with and assists federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in investigation of cases involving consumer fraud;
- Arranges for apprehension of individuals as required and appears in court as investigative officer in criminal cases;
- Performs strategic and operational planning within office, and aids director in establishing priorities to address consumer trends;
- Maintains and executes strategic plan for Consumer Protection;
- Performs other related job duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience:
Six (6) years of law enforcement or consumer protection investigation experience; or Associate’s degree with major course work in law enforcement, criminal justice, public administration, government, business administration, or related field and four (4) years of experience as described above; or Bachelor’s degree and two (2) years of experience as described above; or an equivalent combination of education, training and/or experience.
Special Qualifications (May be required depending on area of assignment):
- Florida Driver’s License or Florida Commercial Driver’s License and endorsement, if any.
- Assignment to work a variety of work schedules including compulsory work periods in special, emergency, and/or disaster situations.
- Other highly desirable knowledge, skills, abilities, and credentials required for a specific position.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Knowledge of Florida State Consumer Protection Laws, Federal Trade Commission rules and decisions, legal principles of investigation and legal documents;
- Knowledge of the practices and principles of management theory, public administration and personnel administration;
- Knowledge of law enforcement intelligence collecting and filing procedures and modern principles of organization and management;
- Knowledge of strategic planning;
- Skill in making informative and entertaining speeches and presentations to the public, law enforcement and regulatory agency personnel, and county boards;
- Ability to interview and interrogate, gather and evaluate evidence, research legal documents, initiate and carry out extensive contact with the public and present an attitude of diplomacy, impartiality, sympathy and sound judgment;
- Ability to prepare and present oral and written reports in an accurate, concise and grammatically correct manner;
- Ability to comprehend intelligence gathering and crime analysis techniques; and
- Ability to demonstrate proficiency using Microsoft Office Word, Excel, Criminal Justice Information Systems and various computer applications and online resources.
PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS
The work is light work which requires exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force to move objects. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:
- Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing or crouching on narrow, slippery, or erratically moving surfaces. The amount of balancing exceeds that needed for ordinary locomotion and maintenance of body equilibrium.
- Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.
- Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discrimination in sound.
- Mental acuity: Ability to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
- Repetitive motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.
- Speaking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including the ability to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately and concisely.
- Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
- Visual acuity: Have close visual acuity such as color differentiation, depth perception, and adequate field vision.
- Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Work is typically performed in a dynamic environment that requires sensitivity to changing goals, priorities, and needs.