Independent Police Auditor

City of San José; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 195,000 - 353,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits

Pension plan

Job summary

The City of San José seeks an experienced Independent Police Auditor to provide independent oversight of police misconduct investigations and to oversee intake, review, and reporting processes. The IPA reports to the City Council and collaborates with City departments to advance public transparency.

Required qualifications include a law degree (desirable), bar membership, and at least five years in criminal law with supervisory experience. Competitive benefits and retirement included.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree; law degree desirable.
• Experience: five years in criminal law and criminal procedure; investigations, legal research, civil rights law.
• Licensing: member in good standing with a state Bar; California Bar license may be required.

Responsibilities

• Oversee objective reviews of police misconduct investigations.
• Supervise intake of complaints and public engagement.
• Prepare annual public report and participate in panels with SJPD.

Skills

Criminal law knowledge

Investigations & legal research

Supervisory experience

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Law degree (desirable)

Job description

Our diverse and inclusive workforce of more than 7,000 employees play a key role in the success of San José, the heart of the Silicon Valley. All City of San José employees work together as one team to make San José a vibrant, innovative, and desirable place to live and work. Visit here to learn more about our One Team Leadership Values and Expectations, including quality and excellent customer service and here to learn more about San José.

The City of San José is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of San José is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at 408-535-1285, 711 (TTY), or via email at [e-mail].

About The Department

THE CITY OF SAN JOSÉ

Known as the “Capital of Silicon Valley,” the City of San José plays a vital economic and cultural role anchoring the world’s leading region of innovation. Encompassing approximately 181 square miles at the southern tip of the San Francisco Bay, San José is Northern California’s largest city and the 13th largest city in the nation. With nearly one million residents, San José is one of the most diverse large cities in the United States. San José’s quality of life is unsurpassed.

Surrounded by the Diablo and Santa Cruz mountain ranges and enjoying an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, residents have easy access to the beaches along the California coast including Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Carmel; Yosemite and Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada; local and Napa Valley wine country, and the rich cultural and recreational life of the entire Bay region. San José is proud of its rich cultural diversity and global connections, and the essential role the City plays in connecting residents and businesses to the nation and the world.

THE OFFICE OF THE INDEPENDENT POLICE AUDITOR

The Office of the Independent Police Auditor (IPA) was established by the San José City Council in 1993 with the enactment of a City ordinance codified in the San José Municipal Code. On November 6, 1996, the voters of San José amended the City Charter to establish the Office of the Independent Police Auditor as a permanent arm of city government.

The mission of the IPA is five-fold: (1) to provide independent oversight of and instill confidence in the complaint process through objective review of police misconduct investigations; (2) to review Police Department investigations of complaints against police officers to determine if the investigation was complete, thorough, objective and fair; (3) to conduct outreach to the San José community; (4) to propose thoughtful policy recommendations to the City Council; and (5) to strengthen the relationship between the San José Police Department (SJPD) and the community it serves.

The San José IPA is supported by a small team of approximately seven extremely committed staff members, including an Assistant IPA who oversees the day-to-day operations. The Office received a proposed budget allocation of $1.7 million for Fiscal Year 2026-2027.

Position Duties

The IPA conducts objective reviews of police misconduct investigations. The role of the IPA is to provide independent oversight of and instill confidence in the complaint process. Each IPA appointment is for a term ending four (4) years from and after the date of expiration of the immediately preceding term.

Reporting to the City Council, the IPA is charged with the following responsibilities, but not limited to planning, organizing, and supervising the work of the IPA Office in the review of SJPD investigations of complaints against police officers to determine if the investigations were complete, thorough, objective, and fair; supervising the Office’s intakes of complaints from members of the public and engages with the community to instill public confidence in the IPA’s operations; reviewing all complaints from members of the public that allege excessive or unnecessary force by police officers; supervising the preparation of an annual public report to the City Council; participating in SJPD’s Officer-Involved Shooting Review Panel and In-Custody Death Training Review Panel; and meeting regularly with the Mayor and City Councilmembers.

The IPA will possess unquestionable integrity and objectivity; be able to further the mission of the Office with impartiality and independent conviction within the boundaries defined by the City Charter and under intense pressure and scrutiny; be politically astute but apolitical; have a solid record of community engagement, working with a diverse community; and have the ability to establish and maintain a mutually respectful working relationship with the Police Department.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Completion of a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university. A law degree from an accredited college or university is desirable.
• Experience: A minimum of five years of experience in criminal law and criminal procedure. Must be experienced in or knowledgeable of investigations, legal research, and analyzing criminal, constitutional, labor, and civil rights law. Must have prior management and supervisor experience
• Licensing: Be a member in good standing with a state bar. The selected applicant may be required to obtain a California Bar license.
• Special Requirements: (1) Has not been a sworn law enforcement officer (e.g. police officer, reserve officer, probation officer, parole officer, or DEA agent), for at least ten years prior to appointment as the Independent Police Auditor, and (2) Does not have any immediate family members (defined as spouse, parent, domestic partner, sibling, child or grandparent) who are sworn law enforcement officers with any law enforcement agency.

SALARY & BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is $194,670 to $352,806 per year, which includes an approximate five percent ongoing non-pensionable compensation.

The actual salary will be determined by the final candidate’s qualifications and experience.

The City also provides an excellent array of benefits including a competitive defined benefit retirement plan with full reciprocity with CalPERS; a defined contribution plan available as an option.

For additional benefit information, interested candidates are encouraged to review the detailed recruitment brochure and visiting the City’s Human Resources Benefits website.

Additional Information

Employment Eligibility:

Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.

You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses.

Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third party job board application system.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email [e-mail] and we will research the status of your application.

AI and the Hiring Process

We recognize that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of daily life and can be a valuable tool for learning, research, and professional growth. We encourage candidates to use AI responsibly as a support in preparing application materials, live assessments, and interviews. However, we value authenticity, accuracy and truthfulness. Application responses and interview answers must reflect your own knowledge, skills, and experiences. While AI can supplement preparation, it cannot replace the originality and judgment we look for in our employees. This ensures fairness, transparency, and equity for all applicants in the hiring process.