Supervising Investigator - PDD Central Region

The Public Defender Division of the Committee for Public Counsel Services, the Massachusetts public defender agency, is seeking applicants for the position of Supervising Investigator for the State’s Central Region, covering Suffolk and Norfolk Counties.  Supervising Investigators assist in the hiring, training, and supervision of Investigators, and also have their own reduced client caseload.  The Supervising Investigator’s primary base of operation will be in a CPCS office that is located within the Central Region. 

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION MISSION STATEMENT 

CPCS is committed to protecting the fundamental constitutional and human rights of our assigned clients through zealous advocacy, community-oriented defense, and the fullness of excellent legal representation.  We are dedicated to building and maintaining strong professional relationships, while striving to accept, listen to and respect the diverse circumstances of each client, as we dedicate ourselves to meeting their individual needs.  It is our CPCS mission to achieve these goals, and in furtherance thereof, we embrace and endorse diversity, equity and inclusion as our core values as we maintain a steadfast commitment to: (1) Ensure that CPCS management and staff members represent a broad range of human differences and experience; (2) Provide a work climate that is respectful and supports success; and (3) Promote the dignity and well-being of all staff members. CPCS leadership is responsible for ensuring equity, diversity, and inclusion. The ability to achieve these goals with any level of certainty is ultimately the responsibility of each member of the CPCS community. 

CPCS is the state agency in Massachusetts responsible for providing an attorney when the state or federal constitution or a state statute requires the appointment of an attorney for a person who cannot afford to retain one.  The agency provides representation in criminal, delinquency, youthful offender, family regulation, guardianship, mental health, sexually dangerous person, and sex offender registry cases, as well as in appeals and post-conviction and post-judgment proceedings related to those matters.  

The clients we represent are diverse across every context imaginable and bring many unique cultural dimensions to the matters we address. This reality creates a critical need for CPCS staff to be culturally competent and able to work well with people of different races, ethnicities, genders and/or sexual orientation identities, abilities, and limited English proficiency, among other protected characteristics. 

The Public Defender Division (PDD) provides legal services to adults who qualify for assigned counsel and are facing criminal charges. The PDD administrative office is in Boston and PDD currently has 18 trial offices located throughout the state, as well as an Appeals Unit, and a staff of approximately 250 attorneys and 120 other staff members.   

The mission of the Public Defender Division of the Committee for Public Counsel Services is to ensure that criminal defendants are given the fundamental protections of the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Massachusetts Constitution. We believe that every defendant should not only receive zealous advocacy but respect and dignity as they deal with the potential loss of their liberty.  

The Public Defender Division of CPCS is seeking a Supervising Investigator to work in its Central Region, which consists of three offices located in Boston, Quincy, and Roxbury.  Supervising Investigators assist in the supervision, hiring, and training of staff Investigators in their assigned region as well as carry a reduced caseload. The Supervising Investigator works under the direction of the Director of Investigations and collaborates with the Managing Director and Attorneys-in-Charge in the Central Region. The Supervising Investigator’s primary base of operation will be in a CPCS office that is located within the Southern Region. 

The Supervising Investigator reports directly to the Director of Investigations. 

Applicants for the position of Supervising Investigator must have: 

• A Bachelor’s degree and at least three years of experience as a criminal investigator or criminal defense attorney, preferably in cases involving the provision of defense services to indigent defendants; or an equivalent combination of education, training, experience, and skills; 

• Insured, reliable, and available transportation, and a valid MA driver’s license; and, 

• Access to home internet access sufficient to work remotely. 

The following attributes are preferred: 

• A demonstrated commitment to anti-racism and to reducing racial and ethnic disparities in the criminal legal system; 

• A demonstrated commitment to the principles of zealous advocacy and community-oriented defense and the ability to promote the provision of excellent representation by staff members; 

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, internet databases, social media, online searches and databases, surveillance technology, imaging and audio and video equipment; 

• A demonstrated knowledge of the principles, methods, and techniques of criminal investigations, including gathering, preserving, and presenting evidence, basic identification techniques, creating and utilizing demonstrative evidence, and methods of operation;  

• Strong leadership skills and qualities; 

• Strong written and oral advocacy skills, and analytical, interpersonal, communication, negotiation, and decision-making skills; 

• Proven ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team; 

• A demonstrated ability to develop, support, and mentor staff; 

• Ability to work successfully with courts and other personnel in the criminal legal system; 

• A demonstrated knowledge of criminal law and courtroom procedures; interviewing and interrogation techniques; and, forensics, including scientific developments used for investigation and prosecution of crimes;  

• Flexibility to work outside of regular business hours, e.g. on nights and weekends, if required; and, 

• Bilingual language skills preferred. 

• →The supervisory duties of the Supervising Investigator include: 
• →Monitoring investigator caseloads to ensure that each investigator’s caseload is appropriate; 
• →Maintaining statistics relative to investigator caseloads; 
• →In-the-field supervision, including accompanying supervisees on witness interviews, examining and photographing crime scenes, jail visits, and court appearances; 
• →Reviewing report writing of Investigators; 
• →Attending regular one-on-one meetings with individual Investigators in the assigned region, as well as group meetings with Investigators and other defense team staff to ensure quality investigations are occurring;  
• →Working with the Attorneys-in-Charge to assign cases to investigators; 
• →Collaborating with Attorneys-in-Charge of trial offices in the region on annual performance evaluations of supervisees; 
• →Assisting the recruiting and hiring of staff Investigators to ensure quality and diversity of staff; 
• →Working with the Director of Investigations, PDD Leadership Team, and the Training Unit in the training of Investigators; 
• →Meeting regularly with the Director of Investigations and other Supervising Investigators as well as they Deputy Chief Counsel and Managing Directors to review compliance with responsibilities and to discuss regional and statewide issues;  
• →Making and maintaining personal contact with individuals in various agencies (e.g., police, hospitals, ambulance services, courts) and community organizations to facilitate Investigators’ access to witnesses and records; 
• →Developing familiarity with Massachusetts criminal laws and rules of criminal procedure; and,  
• →Other duties as assigned. 

The investigation duties of the Supervising Investigator include: 

• →Maintaining a reduced caseload of cases that the Supervising Investigator will directly work on and providing back-up coverage for Investigators; 
• →Locating and interviewing cooperative and, at times, uncooperative witnesses, alleged victims, and clients; 
• →Investigating crime scenes, including measuring, diagramming, and photographing scenes, commonly located in neighborhoods that have been designated as ‘high crime areas’ by local law enforcement agencies; 
• →Preparing and presenting oral and/or written reports based upon interviews and/or information obtained during the course of the investigation; 
• →Conducting surveillance; 
• →Measuring, diagramming, and photographing locations where crimes may have taken place and/or any location appropriate to the defense strategy; 
• →Utilizing computers for on-line access to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, public records, databases, social networking sites, and various online searches; 
• →Keeping accurate records of all phases of the investigation and being accountable for all aspects of the investigation; 
• →Testifying in court as needed, including preparing exhibits for trials and hearings; 
• →Serving summonses on witnesses and document record keepers; 
• →Arranging timely appearance of witnesses at court by keeping them “on call” and when necessary providing transportation for clients and/or witnesses to court or other facilities; 
• →Ability to work independently and outside of normal business hours as needed; and,  
• →All other duties currently carried out by CPCS staff Investigators. 

EEO Statement  

The Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran or military status, genetic information, gender identity, or sexual orientation as required by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other applicable federal and state statutes and organizational policies.  Applicants who have questions about equal employment opportunity or who need reasonable accommodations can contact the Chief Human Resources Officer, Sandra DeBow-Huang, at sdebow@publiccounsel.net