Investigative Consultant I

Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) protects and promotes the safety and well-being of children and families through child welfare and juvenile justice services and community supports. ACS manages community-based supports, foster care services, and provides subsidized childcare vouchers. Child protection staff respond to allegations of child maltreatment. In juvenile justice, ACS oversees detention, placement, and programs for youth in the community.

About the role

Investigative Consultants are a team of former law enforcement investigators deployed in each borough office and at ECS to work with Child Protective Specialists (CPS) on investigations involving allegations of child abuse or neglect. They provide consultation, expert assistance on serious cases, and may accompany CPS in the field on complex investigations. Additionally, they conduct training for CPS staff on techniques for sensitive investigations and worker safety.

The Protection Agent will primarily handle complex and sensitive investigations related to children in ACS custody, including allegations of child abuse and neglect, locating missing youth from foster care or detention facilities, and advising/training CPS staff on handling such cases. Assigned to a child protective field office or special investigation unit (e.g., Emergency Children’s Services or the Office of Special Investigation), the role involves independent action and decision-making under supervision.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert assistance on cases involving allegations of child abuse or neglect by parents, ACS, or other City staff, including cases resulting in serious injury or death.
• Accompany CPS and CPS Supervisors on difficult home visits.
• Conduct and document interviews with children, family members, neighbors, school officials, and other community members.
• Testify in court regarding investigations.
• Train CPS staff on techniques for sensitive investigations, including observation, interviewing, detecting signs of abuse/neglect, interrogations, forensics, and evidence collection.
• Train CPS staff in handling difficult or recalcitrant parents during home visits or child removal.
• Conduct criminal and domestic violence background checks, analyze findings, and interpret results for CPS.
• Assist and train CPS staff in navigating public databases.
• Provide training and support to provider agencies and ACS staff to locate AWOL youth.
• Use investigative databases and records to develop leads for locating AWOL youth.
• Make field visits to assist in locating youth missing from foster care, placement, or detention settings.
• Re-interview parents, neighbors, and relatives when provider agencies fail to locate AWOL youth.
• Collaborate with law enforcement to ensure the safe return of AWOL youth to appropriate settings.

Requirements

• A four-year high school diploma or equivalent and five years of full-time law enforcement experience, with at least three years in a specialized unit such as Special Victims, Forensics, Homicide, Domestic Violence, Missing Persons, or Precinct Detective.
• An Associate degree or 60 semester credits from an accredited college/university may substitute for two years of the required experience, provided at least two years are in a specialized law enforcement unit.
• At the time of appointment, candidates must possess a valid New York State motor vehicle driver license, maintained for the duration of employment.

Preferred Skills

Experience with specialized and complex child abuse investigations, domestic violence investigations, gang investigations, warrants, missing persons, juvenile crimes, human trafficking, or fugitive enforcement in a current or former law enforcement position will be strongly considered.

Pay

$67,510.00 – $77,637.00