Firearms Supervisor

City of Durham; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 79,000 - 101,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Durham's Police Department Forensic Services Division seeks a Firearms Unit Technical Leader to supervise staff, oversee examinations, and provide expert testimony in criminal investigations. The role provides technical leadership to ensure procedures meet quality requirements and ANAB accreditation standards in a busy firearms lab.

You will manage unit operations, prepare reports, coordinate budgets, and collaborate with law enforcement and external partners.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, social sciences or related field.
• Five years of experience related to the assignment.
• Valid, unrestricted NC driver’s license or willingness to obtain NC license within 60 days of hire.
• 1–2 years of supervisory experience.
• Experience in a police, forensic, or laboratory setting.
• AFTE firearm evidence examination certification (preferred).

Responsibilities

• Supervise staff including planning, assigning, and evaluating work; ensure quality assurance and training.
• Oversee unit operations and personnel; conduct forensic examinations; prepare written reports.
• Provide expert testimony in court and ensure examinations meet procedures and quality standards.
• Coordinate budgets and liaise with law enforcement and external agencies as needed.

Skills

Supervisory experience

Leadership

Budget management

Quality assurance

Report preparation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, social sciences or related field

Job description

Work, Serve, Thrive. With the City of Durham

Advance in your career while making a realdifferencein the community you serve.

Hiring Range: $79,058.00 - $100,797.00

Work Day/Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Our internationally accredited Durham Police Department is dedicated to hiring and training officers and staff who represent the best the law enforcement profession has to offer. We are a progressive agency committed to reducing crime by providing the best quality service. We work to foster public confidence and maintain the highest standards of excellence as a community partner for positive change. If you’re interested in delivering superior emergency response services and working collaboratively to serve our community, join our team in Durham!

This position is located within the Durham Police Department Forensic Services Division in Durham, North Carolina, and is assigned to the Firearms Unit.

The Firearms Unit provides forensic examination services in support of criminal investigations conducted by the City of Durham. Services include firearm examination and comparison, toolmark examination and comparison, serial number restoration, firearm functionality testing, evidence handling, and expert witness testimony.

The primary purpose of this position is to supervise and manage the Firearms Unit while providing technical leadership and performing firearms-related forensic casework. Responsibilities include overseeing unit operations and personnel; conducting forensic examinations; evaluating and documenting findings; preparing written reports; and providing expert testimony in court. As the Firearms Unit Technical Leader, the position also provides technical oversight to ensure examinations are performed in accordance with established procedures and applicable quality requirements.

The Durham Police Department Forensic Services Division is accredited by ANAB under ISO/IEC 17020.

• Supervises staff including planning, assigning, and evaluating work; performs quality assurance duties; trains staff; develops operating policies and procedures; recommends and implements process improvements; and ensures service coverage and compliance with applicable regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Coordinates the preparation of and/or prepares, maintains, and/or reviews reports, records, and other documents; researches and analyzes data; formulates findings and makes recommendations; reviews work and the work of others for accuracy, completeness and compliance with applicable regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Prepares and manages assigned budgets including monitoring expenditures, preparing cost estimates, analyzing financial and related data, identifying resource needs, and making budget recommendations.
• Coordinates with law enforcement and/or external agencies to provide professional assistance; and responds to inquiries in accordance with law enforcement protocols, rules and regulations.

• Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, social sciences or directly related field.
• Five years of experience related to assignment.
• Valid, unrestricted, North Carolina driver's license "or" if you currently have another states driver's license, must be willing and able to obtain a valid NC driver's license within 60 days of hire.

• 1-2 years of supervisory experience.
• Experience working in a police department, forensic, or laboratory setting.
• Firearm-specific training.
• Experience working in an ISO/IEC 17020 or ISO/IEC 17025 accredited lab.
• Certified in Firearm Evidence Examination and Identification through the Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE).
• Leadership training.
• Willing and able to submit to a comprehensive background investigation, credit check, submission of fingerprints, drug screening and polygraph.
• If not in the state of NC, willing and able to travel to the state of NC multiple times at own expense after the initial telephone interview to complete the remaining interview process and lab's background investigation.