Description

All staff employed by the OIC must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Staff precluded from vaccinations due to medical conditions and/or sincerely held religious beliefs will have opportunity to engage with Human Resources to explore reasonable accommodation. Applicants or candidates being considered for employment shall not share their vaccination status with hiring managers or interview panels. Proof of vaccination will be verified prior to your first day of employment by a member of the Human Resources Department.
OIC CAREER OPPORTUNITY

The Office of the Insurance Commissioner's (OIC) is seeking a motivated and qualified individual to fill a Detective (AGO Senior Investigator) position. This position is assigned to the Criminal Investigations Unit, located in the city of Tumwater.

The OIC Criminal Investigations team includes detectives, analysts and support staff that are focused on fighting insurance fraud. The unit's mission is to identify and investigate for prosecution criminal organizations and individuals engaged in fraud schemes that target insurance companies. Incumbents work with federal, state, and local law enforcement to investigate scams such as staged car crashes, fake injury claims, staged burglaries/thefts, and medical fraud along with other false claims.

A detective must be a self-starting, highly motivated and organized individual with a passion for excellence. A detective must see the greater picture and 'begin with the end in mind'. They must be very adept at comprehensively interviewing witnesses, victims, and suspects. This is in addition to having acquired considerable routine law enforcement experience that includes, but is not limited to, the variety of skills ranging from serving search warrants, surveillance, proficiency with firearms and compiling significant amounts of information into a well-organized case file.

This is a Washington General Service position. The salary range for this position is $5,960 - $8,013.

This recruitment will remain open until the position is filled. The agency reserves the right to make a hiring decision at any time after the initial screening date on November 15, 2022. It is in the applicant’s best interest to submit materials as soon as possible.

AGENCY PROFILE AND VALUES
The Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) operates under the direction of the state's Insurance Commissioner, a statewide elected official. Our mission is to provide consumer protection and regulation of the state's insurance industry.

With a workforce of approximately 265 employees, we are one of the smaller state agencies in Washington state government and are fortunate to have a stable funding source that does not rely on the state's general fund.

Because we are a small agency, you will truly get a chance to understand the 'big picture' of what we do and why we do it. You will also have a chance to get to know your co-workers.

We value diversity in the workplace. We challenge our employees to continuously improve the way we do business and to meet and exceed the needs of our customers.

To learn more about this agency, we invite you to visit our website at http://www.insurance.wa.gov/ and listen to our employees talk about why they love working here.

BENEFITS OF WORKING FOR OIC
Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation. We offer a great selection of health, dental and retirement plans, life insurance, long-term disability, flexible spending account, paid leave, 11 paid holidays, and compensation benefits for you and your family. You can find more information about benefits at Benefits - careers.wa.gov.

Additional benefits that may be available include:

• Wellness programs.
• Dependent care assistance.
• Washington State Employee Assistance Program.
• Federal Social Security and Medicare systems.
• Additional Leave; Leave Sharing, Parental Leave, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Leave Without Pay.
• Deferred Compensation (supplemental retirement plan).
• Training and development opportunities, including tuition reimbursement (Tuition Reimbursement is available for eligible employees subject to guidelines and funding.)
• Program for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (if applicable)
• Free parking at our main office in Tumwater.
• A stable funding source that does not rely on the state's general fund.
• The fulfillment of public service.
• Excellent work-life balance.
• Flexible work schedules and telework opportunities.
• Commitment to diversity in the workplace and support one another with respect and trust.
• Free Thurston County Transit public transportation.

Duties

This position reports to a Detective Sergeant and conducts statewide investigations of major and/ or complex criminal insurance fraud. These investigations often involve multiple victims, multiple suspects, multiple criminal statutes, and multiple jurisdictions.

As a Detective, you will coordinate investigations, lead task forces, provide training and expert consultation, and develop criminal cases working them until successful prosecution, conviction and post-conviction follow-up are completed.

Further responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• 
  Develops informants and/or sources of information.
• Requests insurance files, law enforcement documents and other records.
• Provides application for and execution of search warrants.
• Secures and analyzes documentary and physical evidence.
• Interviews witnesses, victims, and suspects with Miranda rights provided, as appropriate.
• Writes extensive, detailed, reports of investigation and supplemental reports.
• Organizes substantial amounts of information/reports/files/photos/evidence for prosecution.
• Conducts surveillance of individuals and /or businesses.
• Assists state and federal prosecutors with case briefings, filings, and follow-up.
• Assists with or makes arrests.
• Testifies in state and/or federal court at hearing(s) and trial(s) as an expert witness, and/or in administrative hearings and other judicial proceedings.
• Receives, logs, and evaluates referrals from local law enforcement, government agencies and insurance companies.
• Consults with and provides guidance to law enforcement, government agencies and insurance companies and their investigators.
• Recommends to managers, prosecutors, and others a specific course of action and/or strategies.
• Provides expert opinion and advice as appropriate to a variety of stakeholders.
• Networks with state, local and federal law enforcement, and regulatory agencies.
• Participates on ad-hoc task forces (e.g., drug diversion, staged collision, criminal case specific).
• Participates with long running task forces and work groups (e.g., Puget Sound Special Investigators, Washington State Auto Theft Investigators, Med-Fraud Task Force).
• Develops training and presents to law enforcement, prosecutors, insurance companies, and citizens.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• 
  Have obtained certification as a peace officer under RCW 43.101.095 (and able to maintain status of a limited authority Washington peace officer, per RCW 10.93.020).
• Experience working as a Washington State commissioned law enforcement officer within the last 24 months from the date of hire.
• At least ten (10) years' experience as a commissioned law enforcement officer, to include at least two years' experience in the following areas:

• Experience conducting criminal investigations; to include recorded interviews of suspects/victims/witnesses, conducting surveillance, apprehension and arrests, and case report writing to include presentation of probable cause to prosecutors for the filing of criminal charges.
• Experience developing and maintaining sources of information and/or informants.
• Experience applying for and executing search warrants.
• Experience handling, processing and examining evidence.

Preferred/Desired Qualifications of this position include :

• A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university whose accreditation is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
• Four years of supervising investigations or investigative experience (in addition to the required qualifications).

Supplemental Information

Employment Standards for Law Enforcement Positions

1. Must be a United States citizen.

2. Possess a driver's license that is valid in Washington State.

3. No felony convictions.

4. No misdemeanor convictions related to controlled substances, theft, moral turpitude, fraud, larceny, or crimes of violence within the last ten years or anytime while working in the criminal justice system.

5. No crimes committed as an adult, currently prosecutable under the statute of limitations.

6. Not convicted of any crime associated with domestic violence.

7. No DUI convictions within the last five years, or a substantial accumulation of driving violations which indicates a disregard for rules and regulations.

8. No current use or possession of illegal narcotics or controlled substances.

9. Have not used any illegal drugs(s) while employed in a criminal justice and/or law enforcement capacity.

10. No use of illegal drugs in the last three years.

11. Refrain from excessive alcohol consumption.

12. Be able to legally acquire and possess firearms and ammunition.

13. Be willing and able to make an arrest and handle suspected violators.

14. Be willing and able to carry and use a firearm in a safe and appropriate manner, and maintain firearm qualification standards.

15. Have obtained Washington State Peace Officer Certification per standards outlined by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission.

16. Knowledge of Use of Force policies and be willing and able to use appropriate force when required to apprehend a criminal suspect.

17. Be willing to undergo and able to pass an extensive background investigation, which includes a fingerprint based criminal records check.

18. Be willing to undergo a post-offer polygraph examination, post-offer psychological evaluation, and a post-offer medical examination with drug testing.

The initial screening will be based on the content and completeness of your application and the materials submitted. All information may be verified and documentation may be required. Your letter of interest should describe how your experience, training and education make you a viable and competitive candidate for this position. Applications with comments such as "see attachments" or "see resume" in the supplemental question responses will be considered incomplete.

General suggestions for creating a good application:

• Read the job posting very carefully. Find out as much as you can about the position.
• Make sure you are very diligent in following all the application instructions. Include all requested documentation.
• Make sure your application and supplemental question responses address how you meet each of the required and desired qualifications.
• Carefully read each of the supplemental questions and respond completely to each one. Pay attention to each component of the question, providing examples, and thoroughly describing when and where you achieved the experience. Detail the types of work you performed, the work products, etc., to demonstrate 'how'.
• Specifically include all of your work experiences doing the same or similar work, especially if you reference work in these jobs in describing when/where you gained experience or skills.
• Make sure your application reflects your best writing.
• Wage/salary depends on qualifications or state rules of compensation (if currently a state employee).

• This position is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).
• State law (RCW 48.02.090[5]) prohibits employees of the OIC from having any interest, directly or indirectly, in an insurance company other than as a policyholder. This prohibition includes the receipt of renewal commissions. If employment is accepted with this agency, you agree to abide by this state law.
• If a degree or other credentials are listed by the candidate, proof will be required at the finalist stage. Candidates are encouraged to pre-plan for this. University degrees must be recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or foreign equivalent.
• If a degree was awarded outside the United States, candidates must provide a credential evaluation report.
• Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the position.
• If claiming veteran status, please send your DD 214 to recruitment@oic.wa.gov with DD214-Detective in the subject line. Please do not attach the DD 214 to your application materials. Please black out personally identifiable data such as social security numbers.
• The Office of Insurance Commissioner is an equal opportunity employer. Auxiliary aides and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Please contact the recruiter listed above.
• If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing (log in, password or email issues) or completing your application (error messages), please call toll-free at (855) 524-5627.
• For general questions regarding applying for jobs, contact the recruiter or careershelp@des.wa.gov.