BACKGROUND INVESTIGATOR 1764 (Revised 07/01/26)

Duties

A Background Investigator is a civilian employee who conducts and compiles personal and professional background investigations for public safety candidates by interviewing employers, co-workers, neighbors, law enforcement officials, military personnel, members of the candidate’s family, and personal references; prepares reports on findings; makes recommendations as to background findings; and performs other related duties.

Background Investigators in the higher pay grades may supervise or act as a head worker to staff involved in the above duties.

Requirements/Minimum Qualification(s)

• Five years of full-time paid experience within the last ten years as a California peace officer that includes experience in background investigations for employment, internal affairs investigations, or in-depth investigations of criminal matters;
• A valid Private Investigator’s license issued by the California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services;
• Nine hundred cumulative hours of paid experience within the last five years conducting background investigations for public safety positions while employed with the City of Los Angeles.

Process Notes

• As a condition of employment, a valid Class C driver’s license issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is required.
• Applicants will be disqualified and candidates will not be eligible for hire if their DMV record within the last 36 months reflects three or more moving violations and/or at-fault accidents, or a conviction of a major moving violation such as DUI or DWI in any state or jurisdiction.

Selective Certification

• In accordance with Charter Section 1010 (b) and Civil Service Rule 5.31, selective certification will be used for some positions that require special skills and/or training.
• For such positions, only applicants who have successfully completed the following course within the last five (5) years at the time of filing may be considered:
• California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Background Investigation Course.

Application & Selection Process

• The examination will consist entirely of an evaluation of professional and personal qualifications by interview.
• In the interview, the following competencies may be evaluated: Judgment and Decision Making; Attention to Detail; Self-Management; Fact Finding; Interpersonal Skills; Job Knowledge, including knowledge of: objective symptoms of use of alcohol and commonly used controlled substances sufficient to recognize when a person may be under the influence; interviewing techniques sufficient to obtaining necessary background information; investigative techniques and concepts of background investigations to collect accurate and complete information; and other necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• To be considered complete, the advisory essay must include a substantive response for each question or problem included in the advisory essay for which a candidate is required to provide an answer.

Notes

• This examination is based on a validation study.
• The City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and upon request, will provide reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities.
• If you receive and accept an offer of employment to a regular position with the City of Los Angeles, your employee benefit coverage (including health and dental coverage, as well as life insurance) will commence approximately six weeks after your original regular appointment.
• All City employees are required to be Disaster Service Workers.