Section Director

Section:                   Gun Violence Task Force/Criminal Law Division

Class:                       Section Director (Special Agent IV)

Location:                  Philadelphia

Telework:                 Telework is not offered for this position.

Position Type:         Full-time, Non-civil service, Non-union

Work Hours:            8:30 – 5:00

Salary Range:         Starting salary of $85,966, commensurate with experience

                                -For current Office of Attorney General employees, promotional pay increase rules will apply

The Philadelphia Gun Violence Task Force (GVTF) is comprised of experienced law enforcement investigators tasked with investigating organized gun violence and gun trafficking in Philadelphia. Their functions include tracing the origin of crime guns recovered in the city and arresting straw purchasers and gun traffickers.  Through the use of the city and statewide grand juries, electronic surveillance, human sources, and undercover operations, the GVTF seeks to identify individuals predisposed to proliferate firearms to convicted criminals and reduce gun violence exponentially.

Basic Function

The candidate selected for this position will serve as the Section Director for the Philadelphia Gun Violence Task Force, overseeing investigations, operations, and strategic planning for cases involving violent criminal organizations, straw purchasing, firearms trafficking, prohibited persons deemed not able to possess a firearm/illegal owner, and the illegal transfer of firearms.  Candidates should have a strong understanding and knowledge of the: 

• Uniform Firearms Act - Criminal Code Title 18, Chapter 61; 
• Pennsylvania Electronic Record of Sale;
• Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS);  
• Federal Firearm License (FFL) requirements; 
• National Instant Criminal Background Check System; 
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) e-Trace and the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBN); 
• Elements of straw purchasing; and
• Gun show/firearm trade show operations.

Work entails directing all aspects of comprehensive and highly confidential investigations conducted in accordance with The Commonwealth Attorneys Act; the Uniform Firearms Act - Criminal Code Title 18, Chapter 61; the Public Welfare Code; and other applicable Commonwealth laws, statutes, and regulations and performing a wide variety of administrative duties.  The employee ensures compliance within the Bureau with established policy and determines program effectiveness.  This position reports to the Deputy Chief of the Bureau of Criminal Investigations.

• Manages all facets of administrative responsibilities associated with a large investigative unit
• Develops and maintains critical collaborative partnerships with federal, state, local, and out of state law enforcement agencies
• Works collaboratively and in partnership with all other sections within the Office of Attorney General (OAG)
• Directs the collection, analysis, and sharing of gun violence and firearms trafficking intelligence with all relevant sections and law enforcement partners
• Assigns, plans, directs, and schedules all phases of criminal investigations conducted by the Gun Violence Task Force 
• Directs the development of, and evaluates, informational sources to determine reliability 
• Plans, directs, schedules, and assigns work to subordinate agents and clerical staff
• Monitors all assigned investigations to ensure compliance with established policy and program effectiveness
• Reviews all investigative reports to assure completeness, accuracy, and technical correctness within the OAG case management system
• Resolves and/or responds to employee grievances and complaints
• Recommends favorable or adverse personnel actions
• Plans, develops, and participates in a program of on-the-job training for lower level agents
• Prepares and signs Employee Performance Evaluations
• Develops and maintains liaison with other law enforcement agencies
• Coordinates and monitors new agents’ progress in the Field Training Program
• Performs other duties as required

• Four years as a Special Agent II and/or Narcotics Agent II with two years of qualifying supervisory experience OR
• Two years as a Special Agent III and/or Narcotics Agent III (with four years of experience as a Special Agent II and/or Narcotics Agent II, other qualifying supervisory experience can be substituted for time as an Agent III) OR

Successful completion of Act 120 certification or an Act 120 equivalent certification, or graduation from the Commonwealth Investigator Training Program (CITP) AND

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with an associate’s degree in Criminology, Criminal Justice, Police Science, Police Administration, or a related major specific to the criminal investigative field, or a technical or specialized major related to a specific position, and eight years of relevant law enforcement or investigative experience or experience in a technical or specialized field related to a specific position including two years of qualifying supervisory experience OR

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in Criminology, Criminal Justice, Police Science, Police Administration, or a related major specific to the criminal investigative field, or a technical or specialized major related to a specific position, and six years of relevant law enforcement or investigative experience or experience in a technical or specialized field related to a specific position including two years of qualifying supervisory experience OR

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a master’s degree in Criminology, Criminal Justice, Police Science, Police Administration, or a related major specific to the criminal investigative field, or a technical or specialized major related to a specific position, and five years of relevant law enforcement or investigative experience or experience in a technical or specialized field related to a specific position including two years of qualifying supervisory experience OR

• Ten years of relevant law enforcement or investigative experience or experience in a technical or specialized field related to a specific position including two years of qualifying supervisory experience OR

• Four years of active duty military experience with honorable discharge and six years of relevant law enforcement or investigative experience or experience in a technical or specialized field related to a specific position including two years of qualifying supervisory experience OR
• Ten years of active duty military experience with honorable discharge including six years as a Military Police Officer with the Criminal Investigations Division or a relevant Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) and two years of qualifying supervisory experience OR

• Any equivalent combination of relevant education, experience, and training