Sr. Investigator - Auto Theft

What Success Looks Like In This Job

The 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office is committed to seeking and pursuing justice on behalf of victims of crime through the fair and ethical prosecution of those who commit offenses in our community. With a focus on education, treatment, and a reduction in recidivism, the District Attorney’s Office will also work vigorously to reform the criminal justice system to better serve those who live and work in Adams and Broomfield Counties.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF POSITION:

The District Attorney’s Office seeks a Senior Auto Theft Investigator to advance the mission of the DA’s Office. A Senior Auto Theft Investigator performs a variety of semi-complex and complex investigations of felony and misdemeanor crimes associated to auto theft, for the Office of the District Attorney. This position is grant-funded through a partnership with the Colorado District Attorney’s Council and will focus exclusively on the investigation and prosecution of cases involving motor vehicle theft, organized criminal acts related to auto theft, and other associated violent crimes across several judicial districts.

The grant funding for this position is extended through June 2026, with the opportunity for further annual extension through June 2028.

Examples of Duties for Success

• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator must have a minimum of five (5) years of investigative experience handling complex case investigations and a minimum of ten (10) years prior law enforcement experience. The investigative experience can be within the District Attorney’s Office or can be prior law enforcement experience as a detective or investigator at a law enforcement agency.
• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator must possess comprehensive knowledge of civil and criminal law, law enforcement principles, procedures, techniques, statutes, and ordinances applicable in the State of Colorado. This includes updates to statutes, legislative changes, and changes to procedures for criminal case filings.
• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator must have significant experience investigating, preparing and filing complex criminal cases and must possess the ability and skillset to investigate and file a criminal case, as well as extensive knowledge of motor vehicle theft statutes, organized criminal acts, and crimes often associated to motor vehicle theft.
• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator must possess extensive investigative competence, skills and abilities to provide advanced, high-level investigation into already filed criminal cases, enhancing and strengthening these cases for prosecution.
• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator must have comprehensive experience authoring search warrants, production of records requests, and other affidavits associated with investigations. A Senior Auto Theft Investigator must have the experience and ability to find the gaps in an investigation and author the appropriate court documents to enhance said investigation where others might fall short.
• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator must have significant experience interviewing victims and witnesses and the skill set to conduct such interviews as well as the ability to build rapport and show empathy to victims and witnesses. A Senior Auto Theft Investigator must have the skillset to author the appropriate reports detailing the information obtained in interviews in a timely manner. Interviews of witnesses and / or victims involved in complex crime requires training and experience in the best approach or current practices. The reports authored should reflect this unique skillset and high-level ability.
• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator must have a strong work ethic and a track record of handling a high volume of labor-intensive cases in a competent and professional manner.
• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator must have the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervisors, colleagues, attorneys, witnesses, and victims. This also extends to relationships with law enforcement agencies, patrol officers, supervisors, detectives, and command staff.
• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator must have the experience and skill set to serve as a lead investigator for an investigation where a law enforcement agency is lacking the resources or experience to conduct a detailed, quality, thorough investigation.
• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator must be able to create and conduct presentations for various senior level executives and command staff outlining the progress and information gathered in investigations.
• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator must have a demonstrated level of knowledge, competence, and work product that speaks to their ability to perform at a high level and manage complex investigations.
• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator must have a demonstrated commitment to victims of crime and a track record of supporting victims with empathy and integrity.

• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator is someone who reliably goes “above and beyond” in their service to this office. A Senior Auto Theft Investigator is someone who consistently takes initiative to make the office better, to help others, and to serve the community.
A Senior Auto Theft Investigator will have demonstrated during his or her years of service a keen understanding that this is a profession, not just a job
• -that there is much more to the position then just handling the assigned cases. This is an individual who sees a need and responds to it – for example, anticipating that a unit will need coverage and handling it, volunteering to assist on a case or help another staff member, or otherwise making him or herself available to make sure that the office runs smoothly, outside of commonly assigned tasks.
• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator is someone who models professionalism, respect, integrity and innovation with the goal of assisting others, supporting others, and furthering the role of the investigator and the partnership with the attorneys and law enforcement agencies.
• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator provides support and guidance to other investigators and support staff regarding this profession and the common goal of successful prosecution.
• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator must consistently demonstrate the principles of integrity, ethics, empathy and professionalism both in how they conduct investigations and interact with the community, and other law enforcement professionals.
• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator is someone who consistently reaches out to not only those within the Investigations Unit but support staff, paralegals, victim advocates and others outside the unit and treats all staff with dignity and respect.
• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator must have a reputation for honesty and integrity with colleagues, as well as law enforcement professionals, and the community.
• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator is someone who subscribes to the office mission to “do the right thing” in all cases, support a victim centered approach to investigations, and strive to assist the attorneys in putting the best case forward in court.
• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator is committed to elevating and enhancing the District Attorney’s Office in the community we serve.
• A Senior Auto Theft Investigator advances the priorities of the District Attorney and the mission of the office by representing the DA’s Office outside the course of business.

Qualifications for Success

• Must possess a valid Colorado Driver's License, Certification as a Colorado Peace Officer and minimally qualified as a marksman to established unit standards.
• State law requires a physical examination and a psychological evaluation of an applicant be completed before an applicant may be appointed.
• Ability to read, write and/or speak Spanish is desirable.

• Work is generally confined to an office environment or the field. Certain aspects of investigations may subject investigators to extended working hours and potentially hazardous situations. Investigators may be “on call” and are subject to responding to dynamic and potentially dangerous situations at any hour. This position requires standing, stooping, sitting, bending, twisting and lifting up to 50 pounds.
• This investigator will work for the District Attorney in the 17th Judicial District, but will also work with the Offices of the District Attorney for the 13th Judicial District (Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedwick, Washington, Yuma, and Kit Carson Counties), the 19th Judicial District (Weld County), and the 8th Judicial District (Larimer and Jackson Counties), and the 14th Judicial District (Grand, Moffat, and Route Counties).
• May travel throughout the region of the various judicial districts described above to investigate and prosecute cases involving auto theft.
• A portion of the grant funding requires training to law enforcement and prosecutors on legal standards, practices, and strategies related to the investigation and prosecution of auto theft, as well as stay updated on current laws and court rulings that may impact auto theft prosecution.
• Further duties include establishing, as necessary, the location of persons to be served through standardized procedures. Provides, on an as-needed basis, the transportation of witnesses to court appearances and in-office interviews.

More Qualifications for Success

To be considered for this position, a cover letter and resume MUST be attached to the application.

NOTE: This is a project-designated, grant funded position with an end date of 06/30/2026 that includes a provisional extension through 06/30/2028, available to be renewed on an annual basis, contingent upon available funding from Legislative appropriation each year with no guarantee of approval year to year. This position is expected to work 40 hours/week. Positions funded by external grants are subject to the availability of grant funds and may be subject to termination at the end of this grant period. Positions funded by external grants will be reviewed by the District Attorney's Office for viability in the absence of grant funds. This position does not qualify for retirement benefits.

Adams County and the 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office complies with Colorado’s Job Application Fairness Act (“JAFA”). JAFA prohibits employers from asking individuals to disclose their age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation on an initial employment application. However, additional application materials such as certifications and transcripts containing this information may be required for certain positions; if such additional materials are requested, applicants may redact information that identifies the applicant’s age, date of birth, or dates or attendance or graduation.