Homicide Detectives: Analyzing the Position

Executive Summary

This department will soon need to hire a new homicide investigator, since Ronald Doall is retiring. To this end we have reviewed current employees in this position in order to determine what level of employee we need. We found that we have employees with sufficient experience and with excellent credentials and employment records to promote internally. However, we will be seeking to fire an entry level homicide investigator. We will advertise this position internally here and in other law enforcement agencies throughout the country before making the position public in order to give preference to current employees.

The selection process for this type of position is complicated and the selection of a candidate who has the skills and experience and who will be a good fit for our organization is critical to the functionality of our department. I have prepared some materials to help in this process as follows:

• A short presentation reviewing the job analysis for this position to help you create the advertisement and job summary description
• A checklist of considerations for use in the selection process, including suggestions for the recruiting process, a list of interview questions to be used with this position, including questions to assess the individual’s fit to our organizational culture and a description of compensation, incentive, and benefit plans to share with the employee at the time of job offer.
• A proposed script for orientation for this new employee, once selected
• A training proposal to help the new hire to integrate quickly into the department

Slide Presentation

You should analyze this position for entry level before creating the announcement of new post. Check the current requirements.

A very generic description would resemble the following:

“Homicide Detectives are plainclothes investigators who specialize in gathering facts and collecting evidence for criminal cases involving murder.

Most of the work involves conducting interviews, examining records, monitoring the activities of suspects, and participating in raids or arrests.

Cases are assigned on a rotating basis and homicide detectives work on them until they result in an arrest or conviction, or until the case is dropped. They may be assigned to interagency task forces, when, for instance, a murder incident involves other areas of crime investigation, such as narcotics.” (Alec-co UK 2008)

Analyzing the Position:

• There are published job descriptions for each position in this department, use this to begin.

  • Identify education, experience, rank (if any) and physical requirements.
  • Identify relevant exam results required.
  • Define the rank and pay scale level
• Consult with department head to identify needed expertise and desirable personality traits.

  • Discuss tasks, duties and responsibilities.

• • Interview some homicide detectives to identify what they like and dislike about the job and about the team. What would they like to see in a new member of the team?

• Look at the records of some of the current homicide detectives to get a more clear idea of what they do. (Bohlander, George 2007)

Creating a job description:

• List the overall description in one short paragraph. Include the information in the published job description
• Add one or two sub-paragraphs describing the duties, necessary experience and desired personality traits
• Add a short bulleted list of major tasks, duties and responsibilities
• Detail the process for application, including the required documentation and how, where and when to apply, and the final date for application
• Include a line about when interviews will be scheduled

Analyze Team Composition and Function

Using the information gathered, analyze the needs for the homicide investigation team to find any specific traits or skills that would be especially valuable to the current team

Aids for the Selection Process

Advertising the Position

• In addition to the usual job postings, add a short article to the web site describing this position. Write it up and present it to our webmaster via email on the internal intranet.
• Place a notice in the employee newsletter
• Post a notice on the bulletin board in the employee cafeteria
• After the required waiting period of a fortnight, send a job posting notice to all law enforcement agencies in the UK via email and / or fax to their HR departments

Suggested Interview Questions

1. Why do you want this position?
2. Why do you think you are best qualified for this position?
3. What are your long term goals?
4. What do you think is your most valuable asset to bring to this position?
5. How does your ideal team function?
6. Tell me about your worst fault and how you try to compensate for it or overcome it?
7. Tell me about a time when you had a personality conflict with a coworker? How was it resolved?
8. What do you imagine will be the most difficult part of this job?
9. *create a question which is aimed at identifying the qualities or skills you got from interviews with the current department members
10. Do you have any questions?

Proposed orientation script

We, in HR, feel that it is important to address some sensitive issues during your early employment with our company. This will make your first days easier and will identify our expectation clearly so you will be able integrate more easily into our environment and perform your job functions smoothly and effectively. It will come as no surprise that diversity is primary consideration in our department. (Byrne, Matt 2008) These issues will be covered in our orientation period:

• Privacy

  • This identifies your rights to privacy and your responsibilities to protect the privacy of others within and without this department. Some are legal requirements, while others were developed internally after careful consideration of departmental needs.
• Sexual Harassment

  • This is a sensitive issue, especially in law enforcement. There are legal issues and guidelines. We also have a practical workbook for you to use to identify which behavior is considered harassment. Remember that this issue is not confined to one gender. Training will provide sensitivity practice and discussion groups.
• Immigration

  • Treatment of immigrant, ethnic minorities or any other visible minority must be equal and respectful at all times, both internally and when dealing with the public. We will cover this subject is detail and provide training later , including sensitivity sessions and discussion groups.

We will also cover all the nuts and bolts of job expectations, performance reviews, benefits and how to sign up for and make us of them, educational benefits, retirement and vacation policies, departmental disciplinary standards and procedures and we will give you a tour of our department and the organization.

Training proposal

Employee development is an ongoing process. It begins with orientation, and continues with training for three days following initial hiring. This initial training will include segments on:

• Sexual Harassment

  • Sensitivity session
  • Discussion groups led by our moderator
  • Role playing
  • Exam
• Cultural and ethnic relations

  • Sensitivity session
  • Discussion groups led by our moderator
  • Role playing
  • Exam
• Safety

  • Vehicle safety checks
  • Firearm checks (if and when issued these must be done)
  • Team safety (conducted by certified instructor from the academy)
  • Traffic safety (Conducted by traffic safety officer)
  • Exams

Further Training

• One month after entering the position:

  • Firearms training (at the academy)
  • Forensics in that department
  • How not to contaminate a crime scene
  • How to collect evidence
  • Chain of evidence
• After one year of service
• Training in specific areas identified by supervisor

  • Review of safety training
  • Firearms exam
  • Physical exam

Training for Advancement

Training for advancement will depend upon the employee’s incoming qualifications. However, the job description published by the department is the main guideline for qualification for the next designation. Outside courses may be required from time to time and will be arranged with the department and HR.

Almost all training is instructor led or moderated. This is because there is a responsibility for this department to oversee all training. Certifications are required for firearms and vehicle training, including the operations of special vehicles. Certification is not required in forensics, but would be valuable. This and other specific training is instructor led by qualified personnel and graded. The department has the right to require certain minimal grade or the training will have to be repeated. Self paced training may be provided for certain areas, but exams will be proctored. The department has facilities for on line intranet based interactive training. Exams for credit will be proctored. However, these facilities are openly available to all personnel.

References

Alec-co UK, 2008, A Career as a Detective, Web.

Bohlander, Matt and Snell, Scott, 2007, Managing Human Resources, 14^th Edition, Thomson South-Western, Mason Ohio, USA.

Byrne, Matt. “Human condition.” Lawyer 19.12 (2005): 17-24. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. [Library name], [City], [State abbreviation]. Web.