The Washington State Patrol is looking for local residents who are not in law enforcement in both Grays Harbor and Pacific County to assist in independent use-of-force inquiries as needed.
In a release from WSP, they say that they are looking for community representatives for each county to assist in investigations within the county they reside.
These non-paid volunteer positions will work as part of the Independent Investigation Team (IIT) and collaborate with the Washington State Patrol’s Criminal Investigation Division.
With the passage of Washington State Initiative 940 in November 2018 and SHB 1064 in 2019, incidents where the use of deadly force by a peace officer results in death, substantial bodily harm, or great bodily harm require an independent investigation.
These independent investigations are conducted in the same manner as a criminal investigation and state law requires an “independent investigation” completely independent of the involved agency.
The goal of this requirement is to enhance accountability and increase trust between law enforcement and the community.
The Independent Investigative Team (IIT) will consist of a team of qualified and certified peace officer investigators and at least two Non-Law Enforcement Community Representatives who operate completely independent of any involved agency to conduct investigations of police deadly force incidents.
The IIT Non-Law Enforcement Community Representatives should have credibility with, and ties to, the communities impacted by the police use of deadly force.
Representatives selected will participate directly in the vetting, interviewing, and/or selection of IIT certified law enforcement investigators, media communications, and use of involved agency equipment requests.
This position will require the community representative to pass a department/agency background check and attend identified training that is relevant to officer involved deadly force incidents. The Non-Law Enforcement Community Representative must sign a binding confidentiality agreement at the beginning of each investigation.
Responsibilities of the Position(s) Include:
Length of Commitment:
Length of commitment to this position is two (2) years. This commitment may be adjusted based upon the needs of the agency and/or the willingness of the Non-Law Enforcement Community Representative to serve. The Chief of the Washington State Patrol will make the final decision on the length of the commitment.
Supervision Received and/or Exercised:
The IIT Non-Law Enforcement Community Representative will work with the assigned leadership team (Commander, Assistant Commander, and/or Lead Investigator) on each assigned use of deadly force incident.
Hours of Commitment:
The hours for this position will vary depending on the incident dynamics and the time and location of briefings, meetings, and needs of the investigation. IIT Non-Law Enforcement Community Representatives may be called to participate at various and unpredictable hours to include weekends and holidays.
Minimum Qualifications:
The following are the minimum qualifications for the position of IIT Non-Law Enforcement Community Representative. At the time of application, the applicant shall:
www.wsp.wa.gov
Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
The following knowledge, skills, and abilities are essential to be successful in the position of IIT Non Law Enforcement Community Representative:
Training:
The IIT Non-Law Enforcement Community Representative selected for the position may be required to attend relevant training related to the position, which will be provided at no expense.
How to Apply:
Interested, qualified applicants may submit the application materials listed below electronically to [email protected] . Application materials must be received by Tuesday May 25, 2021. Application materials received after the deadline will not be considered.
Application materials must consist of:
Selection Process:
Following the closing date for this recruitment, a selection process will be administered. The Chief of the Washington State Patrol will be the final determiner of selected applicants. Qualified applicants will be notified of their application status at the conclusion of the selection process. This recruitment and selection process will be used to establish a ranked list of qualified candidates.
The full posting is also located on our website: WSP.WA.GOV