Police Attorney

1. Provide legal advice to the Chief of Police and police staff on criminal law and procedures to include investigative procedures, substantive law, procedural law and sufficiency of evidence for court; prepare and present staff reports and other necessary correspondence.
2. Advise criminal investigators on investigative procedures involving searches, interrogation law, electronic eavesdropping, evidentiary foundations, and traffic fatalities.
3. Respond to and advises police management on legal issues regarding all police shootings, hostage or barricaded subject standoffs, and critical incidents involving injury or public interest.
4. Coordinate legal representation with City Attorney and retained outside counsel on civil litigation involving the Police Department.
5. Represent City and its employees in civil litigation in state and federal courts conducting discovery depositions, draft and respond to interrogatories, write and argue motions for summary judgment and appellate briefs, including representing City and Police Officers in civil rights litigation involving claims of excessive force and false arrest, subject to supervision by the City Attorney.
6. Review drafts of proposed changes in ordinances to assure conformance to legal requirements, subject to consultation with the City Attorney.
7. Review drafts of proposed changes in departmental regulations to assure conformance to legal requirements and accreditation standards.
8. Review disciplinary files and internal investigations as necessary to ensure fair and unbiased procedures; represent and advise the department in administrative actions.
9. Represent the Chief of Police, as necessary, at administrative, disciplinary and unemployment hearings.
10. Provide advice and counsel on fair employment practices, and represent the City on charges of unlawful discrimination, subject to consultation with the City Attorney.
11. Publish training material on new case law, legislation, and review established case law affecting police operations.
12. Coordinate with the North Carolina Justice Academy Director and staff for training courses and providing specialized advanced legal training to state law enforcement officers.
13. Teach Police Academy and in-house training programs supervising officers who are assigned for training.
14. Provide written or oral legal opinions for officers and command staff on issues of criminal law, criminal procedures, and civil liability.
15. Coordinate investigation working with State agencies (i.e. ALE and ABC) to develop factual support for public nuisance actions, and represent City as trial counsel in public nuisance litigation.
16. Draft local ordinances and resolutions, subject to review by the City Attorney.  Draft related law enforcement state legislation subject to review by the City Manager.
17. Participate in management decision-making on, training, and policy development. Review and approve legal documents.

Experience:
Three years of progressively responsible experience in municipal or government law, including extensive legal research preferably in the law enforcement area.

Training:
A Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school.

LICENSING & CERTIFICATIONS

Required:
Membership in the State Bar of North Carolina.

Preferred:
General Instructor certification.

From the time of closing, the selection process is anticipated to last approximately 4 - 6 weeks.  The process will consist of an assessment center which will include a presentation exercise, in-basket exercise and a panel interview with the selected candidate being subject to a pre-employment drug screen, background check and driving history check.