Attorney - Office of Accountability and Transparency Department

City of Phoenix; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Phoenix's Office of Accountability and Transparency seeks an experienced attorney to serve as the legal advisor embedded with OAT. You will support the Director on all legal issues, deliver oral and written opinions, and help shape policies, training, and investigations affecting the Police Department.

Core duties include reviewing the City Charter, Code, and ordinances; analyzing legislation at state and federal levels; drafting transactions and intergovernmental agreements; and

Qualifications

• Embedded legal advisor to the Director on day-to-day operations.
• Assesses impact of major developments in City Charter, State Constitution, and law on OAT.

Responsibilities

• Serves as legal advisor to the Office.
• Assesses impact upon OAT operations of major developments in the City Charter, State Constitution, and state and federal law.
• Responsible for all non-litigation and non-HR legal issues within the Office, as assigned by the Director.
• Attends Civilian Review Board meetings and conferences with Police Department leadership and City officials to determine intent and provide opinions.
• Reviews and evaluates revisions to the City Charter, Code, and Ordinances.
• Reviews and analyzes ordinances, statutes, and policies from other jurisdictions with police oversight responsibilities.
• Reviews proposed laws pending in the Federal and State Legislature affecting OAT and counsels leadership.
• Appears before county, state, and federal legislative and administrative bodies as directed.
• Drafts and revises transactional documents, including intergovernmental agreements and contracts for goods and services.
• Demonstrates continuous effort to improve operations and customer service.
• Works more than forty hours in a workweek as required.

Skills

Legal analysis

Policy development

Oral and written communication

Job description

The City of Phoenix established the Office of Accountability and Transparency (OAT) to receive complaints and commendations regarding the Phoenix Police Department (Department), to review Department administrative investigations into misconduct and community member complaints, to mediate complaints between community members and the Department, and to engage in community outreach and support of impacted community members. OAT issues regular review reports of Department administrative investigations that often include recommendations to the Police Chief, Mayor, City Council, and the City Manager's Office to improve future administrative investigations. OAT also participates in the process of reviewing Department policy, training, and disciplinary issues and makes recommendations to advance the mission of the City of Phoenix and the perspective of the community.

OAT is seeking an experienced, community-minded attorney to join and support the office. This individual will be embedded within OAT and advise the Director on all legal issues affecting the day-to-day operations of the department. Additionally, this individual will provide legal services, perform difficult professional and administrative legal work, including major policy development or revisions. This individual will assist City leaders in the evaluation of police policies, decisions, training procedures, and relevant laws.

Responsibilities:

• Serves as legal advisor to the Office.
• Assesses the impact upon OAT operations of major developments in the City Charter, State Constitution, and state and federal law.
• Responsible for all non-litigation and non-HR legal issues within the Office, as assigned by the Director.
• Attends Civilian Review Board meetings and conferences with Police Department leadership and City officials to determine the intent of official actions, considers possible alternative legal and administrative solutions to problems confronting these bodies, and renders oral and written opinions on legal questions and issues to the OAT Director.
• Reviews and evaluates revisions to the City Charter, Code, and Ordinances.
• Reviews and analyzes ordinances, statutes, and policies from other jurisdictions around the country with police oversight responsibilities.
• Reviews proposed laws pending in the Federal and State Legislature which affect OAT and the Department and counsels OAT leadership regarding such legislation.
• Appears before county, state, and federal legislative and administrative bodies, as directed.
• Reviews, drafts, and revises transactional documents, including intergovernmental agreements and contracts for goods and services, consistent with all applicable state and federal laws and City procurement rules and in coordination with the City's Law Department.
• Demonstrates continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality seamless customer service.
• Works more than forty hours in a workweek without additional compensation to perform assigned job duties, including weekends, evenings, early morning hours, and holidays as required.