Police Practices Section - Deputy Attorney General

State of California; California; On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

The State of California, through the Police Practices Section of the California Department of Justice, seeks experienced attorneys to advance constitutional policing and oversight of law enforcement agencies. The role involves investigations, civil rights work, and oversight across divisions, with opportunities to influence state policy and practice.

Ideal candidates bring demonstrated expertise in investigations, systemic reform, and litigation, and a commitment to civil rights and social

Qualifications

• Experience in investigations and litigation related to civil rights.
• Strong background in constitutional policing and police practices.
• Ability to lead complex, large-scale investigations and reforms.

Responsibilities

• Plan and conduct large-scale investigations and civil litigation.
• Provide advice on sensitive matters to state officials.
• Review proposed state legislation with a constitutional policing lens.
• Develop model policies and training for state and local law enforcement.

Skills

Constitutional policing

Civil rights investigations

Systemic reform

Litigation

Policy development

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Job description

The Police Practices Section (PPS) is seeking experienced and motivated attorneys to join our team dedicated to constitutional policing within the California Department of Justice.

The Attorney General has broad constitutional and statutory oversight relating to local and state law enforcement agencies in California. On behalf of the Attorney General, PPS engages in a broad range of work, including investigations conducted under California Civil Code section 52.3 and Government Code section 11180 et seq.; independent and collaborative reviews of law enforcement agency policies, patterns, and practices; monitoring and enforcement of stipulated judgments and other mandated reforms; developing policy and practice recommendations after a fatal shooting of an unarmed person by a peace officer under Government Code section 12525.3; developing policy and practice recommendations pursuant to Government Code section 12525.3; review and implementation of law enforcement policies including Hate Crimes Policy Oversight pursuant to Penal Code section 13023; and other actions related to the enforcement of state law with respect to California law enforcement agencies.

The attorney hired into the advertised position will work on a wide range of issues and subject matter areas relating to constitutional policing and conditions of confinement, including issues such as use of force and search and seizure; de-escalation; medical and mental health care of incarcerated people; policing or corrections operations, management, and supervision; community engagement; independent oversight of local and state law enforcement agencies; and review of policies and training. Well-qualified candidates will have demonstrated a subject matter expertise in these areas, as well as a commitment to civil rights and social justice, countering bias, and advancing the rights of Californians through investigation, litigation, or other forms of advocacy, as explained in their statement of qualifications. The attorney hired into the advertised position will also have significant engagement with other sections and divisions of the Department of Justice, including the Division of Law Enforcement, the Criminal Law Division, the Civil Division, and other sections of the Public Rights Division, as well as state and local law enforcement agencies and oversight bodies.

Assignments in PPS may include: affirmatively planning, organizing, managing, and conducting large-scale investigations and civil litigation, often on cutting edge, novel issues of law and fact; researching complex factual and legal issues on emerging constitutional rights issues relating to police practices and conditions of confinement; engaging with law enforcement agencies and oversight bodies, civil rights organizations, other advocates, city officials, and members of the public; providing advice on sensitive and high-profile matters to the Attorney General, other high level state officials and agencies, and other sections and divisions of the Department of Justice; reviewing and analyzing proposed state legislation with a lens toward constitutional policing; and developing model policies, training, and best practices for state and local law enforcement agencies. The most competitive candidates will have significant experience with systemic impact investigations and/or developing and litigating complex matters in federal and state courts.

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

The Police Practices Section is seeking candidates with all ranges of experience as an attorney in terms of years of practice, professional experience, especially including investigations, systemic reform work, and litigation. Because PPS handles matters focused on oversight of local law enforcement agencies, the most competitive candidates will possess a background in this subject matter area, as described above, though general experience in civil rights investigations and enforcement will also be considered.

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