Fugitive Apprehension Agent

Fugitive Apprehension Agent

The Department of Corrections is seeking a Fugitive Apprehension Agent. This position involves conducting investigations related to criminal activities within state correctional facilities, including violent actions, financial crimes, or chemicals / substances.

Typical Functions :

• Coordinates and participates in undercover investigations, raids and / or surveillance of persons or targeted locations or establishments where it is believed the escaped offender is present.
• Obtains and executes arrests and search warrants and other court orders.
• Prepares and presents affidavits to District Attorneys and testifies in court on new felony charges that are discovered during fugitive investigations.
• Maintains a current record system of all escapees at large.
• Maintains various types of equipment in a constant state of readiness.
• Notifies all law enforcement agencies of escapes.
• Assists agency legal division as requested with ongoing cases, including, but not limited to, surveillance, record inquiries, and service of subpoenas in civil and criminal cases.
• Collects information in order to conduct an initial assessment and analysis for the purpose of entry into the Oklahoma Department of Corrections data systems regarding inmates who would pose a threat within ODOC and / or outside communities.
• Collects information on threat groups within ODOC which includes criminal street gangs, prison gangs, Mexican drug trafficking cartels, international and domestic terror groups, and other threats within ODOC that may also threaten outside communities.

Level Descriptor :

Level I : This is the basic level of this job family where employees are assigned responsibilities for performing a full range of investigations concerning inmate escapes, various crimes, and administrative investigations of policy violations by staff in an assigned institution, facility, or area.

Level II : This is the career level of this job family where employees are assigned responsibilities for a full range of investigations and inspections related to solving crimes committed in a correctional facility, the apprehension of escapees, and violations of agency policies. Responsibilities may include providing training and assistance to new agents in the completion of various requirements. Employees at this level perform work on high profile cases of wide scope and that are complex in nature. Polygraph examinations are also conducted by employees assigned to this level within the Department of Corrections.

Level III : This is the specialist level where employees serve as a subject matter expert in a specific area of investigations such as crime scene investigations, polygraph, cellular telephone forensics or computer forensics. Employees at this level are responsible for more complex and difficult investigations and assignments.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Competencies :

Level I : Knowledge, skills and abilities required at this level include knowledge of the principles and techniques of investigation; of federal and state laws pertaining to search and seizures; of laws, rules and regulations pertaining to correctional operating units; of the methods and techniques of interviewing for the purpose of developing written reports and background information; of the methods and objectives of discipline required for persons under restraint; of the use and care of firearms; and of the use of deadly force and firearms safety practices. Ability is required to organize and present facts clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; to evaluate a situation and adopt an effective course of action; to exercise alertness and be able to respond quickly in an emergency; to successfully complete any necessary training required by the agency; and to maintain physical fitness necessary to discharge assigned duties and responsibilities.

Level II : Knowledge, skills and abilities required at this level include knowledge of the principles and techniques of investigation; of federal and state laws pertaining to search and seizures; of laws, rules and regulations pertaining to correctional operating units; of the methods and techniques of interviewing for the purpose of developing written reports and background information; of the methods and objectives of discipline required for persons under restraint; of the use and care of firearms; and of the use of deadly force and firearms safety practices. Ability is required to organize and present facts clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; to evaluate a situation and adopt an effective course of action; to exercise alertness and be able to respond quickly in an emergency; to successfully complete any necessary training required by the agency; to maintain physical fitness necessary to discharge assigned duties and responsibilities; to perform highly independent work; and to conduct several investigations simultaneously.

Level III : Knowledge, skills and abilities required at this level include knowledge of the principles and techniques of investigation; of federal and state laws pertaining to search and seizures; of laws, rules and regulations pertaining to correctional operating units; of the methods and techniques of interviewing for the purpose of developing written reports and background information; of the methods and objectives of discipline required for persons under restraint; of the use and care of firearms; of the use of deadly force and firearms safety practices; and of a specific area of investigation practice. Ability is required to organize and present facts clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; to evaluate a situation and adopt an effective course of action; to exercise alertness and be able to respond quickly in an emergency; to successfully complete any necessary training required by the agency; to maintain physical fitness necessary to discharge assigned duties and responsibilities; to perform highly independent work; to conduct several investigations simultaneously; and to provide consultation, training, mentoring and oversight to other staff in the area of complex investigation practices.

Education and Experience :

Level I : Bachelor's degree, including at least twenty-four hours in any combination of penology, psychology, sociology, social work, criminology, education, police science or criminal justice administration and one year of law enforcement experience conducting criminal investigations for a city, county, state or federal government law enforcement entity; or five years' experience as a correctional officer within a state or privately owned correctional facility; or an equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting one additional year of qualifying experience for each year of the required education.

Level II : Bachelor's degree, including at least twenty-four hours in any combination of penology, psychology, sociology, social work, criminology, education, police science or criminal justice administration and three years of law enforcement experience conducting criminal investigations for a city, county, state or federal government law enforcement entity; OR ten years' experience as a correctional officer within a state or privately owned correctional facility; or an equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting one additional year of qualifying experience for each year of the required education.

Level III : Bachelor's degree, including at least twenty-four hours in any combination of penology, psychology, sociology, social work, criminology, education, police science or criminal justice administration and five years of experience conducting criminal investigations for a city, county, state or federal government law enforcement entity; OR fifteen years' experience as a correctional officer within a state or privately owned correctional facility; or an equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting one additional year of qualifying experience for each year of the required education.

Preferred : Investigative, interview, and / or interrogation training, education, and / or experience from a law enforcement, military, or educational background. Experience should have dealt with information gathering from people or from evidence. Preference given to applicants who are CLEET certified.

Special Requirements :

Applicants must possess a valid Oklahoma driver's license at time of appointment in order to perform necessary travel; have and maintain physical and mental stamina adequate to perform the work; be willing to be on call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week; be willing to travel frequently and be away from home for extended periods of time; be willing to transfer where needed and to accept assignment anywhere in the state; pass a rigid character and background investigation; and be willing to accept the physical discomforts and / or dangers inherent in the work. Applicants will be subject to drug testing. Fugitive Apprehension Agents shall meet the training and screening requirements conducted by the Department and certified by the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training within twelve (12) months of employment. (57 O.S. 510)

No person who has been convicted of a nonviolent felony or crime involving moral turpitude and who has not received a full pardon from the proper authority, or who has been convicted of any other felony offense, is eligible for employment in this job classification. (70 O.S. 3311.E and 21 O.S. 1283.B)

No person who has received a verdict of guilty or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any offense required to register pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration Act is eligible for employment in this job classification. (57 O.S. 589.C)

No person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, who has not been pardoned for, or had the conviction expunged or set aside; or is subject to a court order that restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or the partner's child or engaging in other conduct that would place an intimate partner or the partner's child in reasonable fear of bodily injury and includes a finding that the person is a credible threat; or who has been dishonorably discharged from any branch