INVESTIGATOR - COPA

City of Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 73,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Chicago’s Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) seeks an Investigator for the COPA Investigations Unit. The role conducts thorough investigations into misconduct by CPD members and supports legal coordination with attorneys and prosecutors.

Starting salary is $81,636.00, with a 5-position allotment and potential for additional vacancies. Regular hours Mon–Fri, with standard benefits and a comprehensive selection process.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher plus two years of investigations experience involving gathering, analyzing and evaluating evidence; conducting interviews.
• ABA-accredited law school is an acceptable alternative.
• A valid State of Illinois driver’s license is required; availability to work any duty watch; post-graduate degree in public policy, political science, social science, government or law preferred.

Responsibilities

• Interview complainants, witnesses and department members to gather facts for investigations.
• Conduct canvasses at incident locations to locate witnesses and gather information.
• Obtain and analyze reports related to incidents, including medical and forensic reports.
• Prepare investigation reports documenting processes and findings.
• Maintain case management records and files in accordance with rules.

Skills

Interviewing

Evidence analysis

Report writing

Legal coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

ABA-accredited law school

Job description

INVESTIGATOR - COPA

Job Number: 416420

BID/JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

INVESTIGATOR - COPA

Civilian Office of Police Accountability

Investigations Unit

Number of Positions: 5 (Additional vacancies possible pending budget approval)

Starting Salary: $81,636.00

This position is open to current AFSCME BIDDERS AND the PUBLIC. Only current City employees covered under the City's Collective Bargaining Agreement with AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY, AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES (AFSCME) - BARGAINING UNIT 1, 3, 4, & 5 are considered BIDDERS and are eligible to bid. Qualified BIDDERS who properly submit a bid application will receive preference over any non-bidders.

Applications for this position will be accepted until 11:59 pm Central time on 10/08/2026.

Under general supervision, investigates allegations of misconduct against members of the Chicago Police Department (CPD), including incidents involving excessive force, improper search or seizure, domestic violence, coercion and verbal abuse, as well as investigations of certain conduct of members of CPD, including incidents involving death or serious injury to a member of the public, and performs related duties as required.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Interviews complainants, witnesses and department members to gather facts in order to investigate incidents involving possible misconduct by department members
• Conducts canvasses at the location of the incident to locate witnesses, obtain relevant information and evidence
• Obtains and analyzes reports related to the incident, including medical reports and reports related to forensic and scientific analysis
• Maintains working knowledge of department rules, policies and general orders
• Prepares reports of investigation activities conducted to document investigative process
• Updates and maintains case management records to report on status of investigations
• Maintains comprehensive, organized case files and manages documents pursuant to all legal rules
• Assists Major Case Specialists in conducting complex investigations as required
• Obtains and reviews court documents in related civil and criminal matters to identify relevant information and statements made by department members and witnesses
• Consults and collaborates with Legal staff as needed to identify, assess and address legal issues
• Collaborates with attorneys to prepare and present at police disciplinary arbitrations and police board hearings, including the assessment and development of litigation strategy
• Consults with attorneys to review disciplinary charges prior to being presented to department members to ensure accuracy and consistency with investigatory findings
• Maintains contact with CPD detectives to stay apprised of investigative developments in related criminal investigations
• Identifies and reports on opportunities for pattern and practice investigations; conducts pattern and practice investigations at the direction of management
• Testifies in court, arbitration hearings and before the Police Board as needed
• Collaborates with the Cook County State's Attorney's Office and the U.S. Attorney's Office to prepare cases for criminal proceedings
• Identifies areas of improvement to police department tactics and training based on information obtained through investigations
• Monitors cases as they proceed through the disciplinary system to ensure timely completion
• Prepares reports of investigation based on analysis of the evidence in light of the legal framework and makes preliminary recommendations regarding appropriate disciplinary action or other intervention that is appropriate based on the investigatory findings

Additional duties may be required for this position.

DEPARTMENT: Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA)

UNIT: Investigations

ADDRESS: 1615 W Chicago Ave

SHIFT: Monday through Friday

HOURS: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

DAYS OFF: Saturday and Sunday

THIS POSITION IS IN THE CAREER SERVICE.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education, Training, and Experience

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree or higher, PLUS two (2) years of experience conducting civil, criminal or factual investigations that involve gathering, analyzing and evaluating evidence; conducting in depth research, analysis and report writing; and conducting interviews with witnesses.

Should the above criteria not be fulfilled, the following options are acceptable:

• Graduation from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school

Licensure, Certification, or Other Qualifications

• A valid State of Illinois driver's license is required.
• Availability to work any duty watch is required.
• Post-graduate degree in Public Policy, Political Science, Social Science, Government or Law, preferred

Preference will be given to candidates possessing the following:

• Juris Doctorate degree from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school
• 2+ years of experience investigating, prosecuting or defending felony criminal cases
• Previous professional experience with a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency as a sworn law enforcement officer
• Previous full-time employment with a local, state, or federal oversight agency
• Previous professional experience conducting investigations of employee misconduct or criminal conduct for either a government entity or a business entity that is not a retail establishment

NOTE: Per City of Chicago Municipal Ordinance 2-78-120, no investigator employed by COPA shall be a current or former sworn member of CPD within the last five years.

NOTE: You must provide your transcripts or diploma AND valid driver's license at the time of processing.

SELECTION REQUIREMENTS

This position requires applicants to complete an interview, which will include a written exercise and/or a skills assessment test as part of the interview. The interviewed candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, based on the oral and written parts of the interview will be selected. Selected Bidders will be hired in seniority order according to the collective bargaining agreement.

For Information on our employees benefits please visit our benefits website at: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fin/benefits-office.html

For Information on our salary and title structure visit our classifications website at: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dhr/provdrs/Job_Classification_Compensation/svcs/classification-and-pay-plan.html#docaccess-ba6c316e7a6d538348ff53b1eeebb6ab

APPLICATION EVALUATION: Initial evaluation will be based on information provided on the application and the documents submitted. Department of Human Resources staff will review applications after the final posting date. Staff will follow any and all required Employment/Hiring Plan provisions, federal, state and local laws, and Collective Bargaining Agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY

To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience the City of Chicago has adopted the following ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces, and/or residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA) and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates to be referred to departments for consideration.

These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders, as Collective Bargaining Agreements define the hiring process for bidders. For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates.

ALL REFERENCES TO POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP OR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE OMITTED FROM ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR CITY EMPLOYMENT.

The City of Chicago is an Equal Employment Opportunity, Military Friendly, and Fair Chance Employer.

City of Chicago

Brandon Johnson, Mayor

Sep 24, 2026, 5:00:00 AM | Closing Date (Period for Applying) - External: Oct 9, 2026, 4:59:00 AM

BU: 03 | Salary: $81,636.00 | Pay Basis: Yearly