Victim Advocate

Law Enforcement Support Specialist

Work, Serve, Thrive. With the City of Durham Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve. Hiring Range: $ 64,787.00 Work Day/Hours: Varies Our internationally accredited Durham Police Department is dedicated to hiring and training officers and staff who represent the best the law enforcement profession has to offer. We are a progressive agency committed to reducing crime by providing the best quality service. We work to foster public confidence and maintain the highest standards of excellence as a community partner for positive change. If you're interested in delivering superior emergency response services and working collaboratively to serve our community, join our team in Durham! This position is devoted to providing support functions for law enforcement activities and staff including investigatory assistance, evidence processing and retention, crime analysis, victim assistance and forensic science. Oversee a law enforcement support program and serve as a designated subject matter expert, performing complex analysis and/or program administration, which may include providing first or second level supervision to employees or serving as a lead worker. Decision-making includes providing input into management objectives, establishing work goals and objectives of a unit to carry out management direction, and selecting the method to address a problem or issue, subject to the constraints established by management objectives and direction. Responsible for developing policies and procedures; overseeing work produced and services offered; training staff; preparing reports; and monitoring/preparing budgets. May serve as a lead worker, assigning work and monitoring work completion or supervise support staff including conducting performance evaluations, coordinating training, and implementing hiring, discipline, and termination procedures.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Develops, communicates, and monitors policies, procedures and standards for the program; recommends and implements improvements when necessary.
• Researches best practices, service models, training, grants, and service trends to assist in the development of programs.
• Ensures coverage of victim services for the City of Durham. Coordinates emergency response to victims in crisis situations; screens and prioritizes cases; meets with staff to coordinate delivery of services and communicate special needs or concerns.
• Provides leadership, consultation and assistance to refine work output or resolve issues that relate to victim / witness, specialized population and crisis management. Monitors programs and service delivery; prepares annual program evaluations.
• Develops program budgets; monitors expenditures under the current budget; prepares grants applications for new and current programs.
• Prepares monthly and annual reports for the Criminal Investigations Division Victim Services.
• Identifies needs and resources of community pertaining to Victim Services, coordinates development and implementation of services with civic and community organizations. Acts as liaison between department and mental health, social and human services, emergency service providers, civic and community groups and court personnel as it relates to victim services.
• Provides counseling services, receives requests for services from individual clients or social service agencies; schedules home or office appointments, determines problem and appropriate resolution; consults with family members and other service providers; coordinates efforts with outside agencies and other departments as appropriate.
• Responds to concerns from citizens, other City employees and/or social service agencies regarding individuals.
• Maintain effective working relationships with other professional agencies in order to strengthen advocacy resources within the police department and/or the community-based advocacy organizations.
• Conduct site visits with investigators as needed.
• Trains the department on new victim services mandates, advocacy technology, and ethics; provides in-service and other training related to victim services.

Minimum Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in criminal justice, social sciences or directly related field OR equivalent experience.
• One year of experience related to assignment.
• Valid, unrestricted, North Carolina driver's license "or" if you currently have another states driver's license, must be willing and able to obtain a valid NC driver's license within 60 days of hire.
• Must complete a North Carolina Victim Service Practitioner certification within one year of employment.

Additional Preferred Skills

• Master's Degree or continued course work in a related field
• Three or more (3+) years of directly related experience or equivalent combination of training and experience.

Benefits – General Full-Time Employees

• 12-13 paid holidays per year
• 13 standard work days of vacation per year
• 13 standard work days of sick leave per year, which accumulates indefinitely; sick leave may be used toward early retirement
• 2 weeks paid military leave per year
• Medical, dental, vision, and supplemental life insurance plans
• State and City retirement plans
• Short and long term disability plans
• Paid temporary disability leave for specified conditions
• City contribution of 13.6% into the N.C. State Retirement System
• Paid funeral leave
• Employee Assistance Program - personal and family counseling
• Paid life insurance equal to annual salary
• 48 hours for volunteer work each year*
• 4 hours parental leave each year
• Workman's Compensation Insurance
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plans

Benefits - Part-Time (1,000 hours or more per year)

• 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)
• State retirement plan

Benefits Part-Time (Average 30 hours per week over 12 month period)

• 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)
• State retirement plan effective first day of the month following date of hire
• Health insurance effective first day of the month following date of hire
• Dental and life insurance, after one year of service
• Pro-rated vacation, pro-rated sick, pro-rated floating holiday, parttime holiday pay (based on scheduled hours for that day) after one year of service