To: Board of Supervisors
From: Diana Becton, District Attorney
Report Title: Establish District Attorney Assistant Investigator Classification and Add Positions
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
ADOPT a Position Adjustment Resolution No. 26213 to establish the classification of District Attorney Assistant Investigator (6KWA) (represented) at salary plan and grade QV5 1001 ($8,023.65 - $9,752.80) and add four (4) positions in the District Attorney's Office.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The net fiscal impact is approximately $116,762. The cost of adding four (4) positions is approximately $535,926 annually, which is expected to be offset by approximately $419,164 upon canceling four (4) District Attorney Case Preparation Assistant (CPA) positions. After the new positions are filled, either the department will submit another staff report at a future board meeting to cancel four (4) CPA positions or they will be eliminated as vacant unfunded positions through budget processes.
BACKGROUND:
The District Attorney’s Office utilizes the District Attorney Case Preparation Assistant (CPA) in the Prosecution and the Bureau of Investigations Units. CPAs assigned to the Prosecution Units work exclusively in the office at the direction of attorneys and assist in the prosecution of charged criminal cases. When assigned to the Bureau of Investigations Unit, CPAs are given the working title of “Assistant Investigators” and work both in the office and in the field at the direction of Senior Inspectors (sworn officers). CPAs assigned to the Bureau of Investigations Unit have additional and more complicated responsibilities beyond those of the CPA’s assigned to the Prosecution Unit. Utilizing the CPA classification to hire for the Bureau of Investigations Unit has created recruitment and retention challenges.
Due to these challenges, it is necessary to establish a new District Attorney Assistant Investigator (DAAI) classification to work in the Bureau of Investigations Unit. The new DAAI classification will have distinguishing characteristics, minimum qualifications, knowledge, skills and abilities, and typical tasks that accurately reflect the work assignments in the Bureau of Investigations. Establishing the new DAAI classification will help recruitment and retention efforts, as well as ensure the District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigations Unit can meet the needs of the community.
Once the DAAI classification is established and the four positions are added, the District Attorney’s Office intends to open a promotional recruitment. After the recruitment has been completed and the DAAI positions are filled, the District Attorney’s Office operations will no longer need vacant District Attorney Case Preparation Assistant positions, which will therefore be canceled to reduce the net cost.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If unapproved, the District Attorney’s Office will not have the appropriate classification structure or roles to effectively meet the needs of the department or the community.