Welfare Fraud Investigator

This recruitment will establish a candidate pool of qualified competitive applicants and will remain open until filled.

The County of Riverside's Department of Public Social Services (DPSS), Special Investigations Unit, is seeking to fill a position for the Welfare Fraud Investigator throughout the Western Region of Riverside County.

This recruitment may be used for future vacancies throughout the County.

Welfare Fraud Investigators (WFI) are responsible for investigating applicants and/or recipients of public assistance programs, such as Cal Fresh (SNAP), CalWORKs, General Assistance (GA), Child Care, and other benefit programs administered by the Department of Public Social Services. WFIs gather information, review documents, analyze data, and conduct searches, witness interviews, and surveillance when necessary to provide relevant information to authorize, reject, reduce, and/or close fraudulent assistance benefits.

WFI's are also responsible for providing support to CPS in conducting missing juvenile investigations as well as transporting high‑risk wards of the court county‑wide, state‑wide, and out-of-state, and performing security detail as needed at the welcome center. Additionally, WFIs may act as a witness during criminal court proceedings and administrative appeal hearings.

The ideal candidate for this position will have sworn law enforcement experience or a background in public assistance investigation, as well as working knowledge of public assistance laws, rules, and regulations. Bilingual Spanish skill is desired, but not required.

POST certified, lateral candidates, from other law enforcement agencies are encouraged to apply.

Incumbents must either possess Basic POST Certifications at date of hire or obtain a basic POST Certificate within 12 months from date of hire. The County of Riverside sends newly hired Welfare Fraud Investigators who do not possess a Basic POST Certificate through Riverside Community College's Ben Clark Training Center to obtain the certification.

jfc:

• Review case files to locate alleged violations, determine validity of allegations and extract case file information useful to the investigation.
• Locate and interview suspected persons, absent parents, witnesses and company and agency representatives to obtain and verify information and evidence; analyze and evaluate statements, information and evidence obtained through interviews and investigations.
• Examine a variety of records to secure information concerning suspected violations; gather and assemble reports, statements, affidavits, and other forms of evidence for use in legal actions; gather, preserve, analyze and evaluate physical evidence for presentation in hearings and court; use electronic and electronic data processing equipment to collect evidence.
• Prepare and serve search warrants; prepare legal and general correspondences, investigative reports and other documents as directed.
• Interpret, explain and apply provisions of ongoing and new laws, rules, and regulations related to the investigations of welfare fraud and/or other special investigations.
• Prepare subjects for photo line‑up to identify suspects; prepare and process extradition forms; identify, investigate, detain, and arrest suspects and appear in court to provide required information; file criminal complaints with the District Attorney's Office.
• Acts as a liaison between DPSS and the District Attorney's Office; correspond with County departments, other departmental staff, as well as various external agencies in the coordination of investigations.
• Conduct special investigations of internal affairs matters, applicant's background, alleged civil rights violations, DPSS court dependent problems, and other issues as directed.
• Conduct investigations of missing/runaway juveniles; locate and transport juveniles to and from group homes, hospitals, mental facilities, juvenile detention centers, family residences and airports, all of which may be both within or out of the County of Riverside and the State of California; comply and enforce appropriate safety guidelines to ensure officer safety, public safety, and the security of the juvenile.
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