DOD OIG Criminal Investigator

[jckars10]

This job just posted to USA jobs today. I finished up my application and I am wondering if anyone currently works for the agency as an 1811? Any insight into the job, formal training, scope of investigations, or any other helpful information? The job posting did not state anything about attending FLETC but I assume since it is an 1811 series FLETC would be required. The posting also stated nothing about LEAP. Could it be that this agency doesn't do much overtime so LEAP is not authorized? Anyway enough rambling on. Any insight anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated.

[Kimble]

This job just posted to USA jobs today. I finished up my application and I am wondering if anyone currently works for the agency as an 1811? Any insight into the job, formal training, scope of investigations, or any other helpful information? The job posting did not state anything about attending FLETC but I assume since it is an 1811 series FLETC would be required. The posting also stated nothing about LEAP. Could it be that this agency doesn't do much overtime so LEAP is not authorized? Anyway enough rambling on. Any insight anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated.

The announcement is for DCIS, the criminal enforcement arm of the DoD-IG: Defense Criminal Investigative Service

I'm not a DCIS agent, but work with them often. Yes, they are graduates of CITP at FLETC (though many hired by DCIS are already 1811's who have gone through FLETC with another agency) and receive LEAP. Unlike other MCIO's like NCIS, OSI, Army CID, etc. who have general crimes and/or counterintel missions, DCIS is pretty much focused purely on procurement fraud investigations (though they do have cyber agents, and dabble in some counterterrorism cases). DCAA (the major contract audit agency of DoD) sends the top 100 contract fraud cases to DCIS, so it's the place to be if you want to work economic crimes, however, due to the fact that DCIS (like other OIG agencies) doesn't subject its agents to constant mobility moves like larger 1811 agencies, expect to be competing against 1811's who want to stop moving around.

[Joeyd6]

At my last 1811 agency we worked with them a lot. I can't speak for the entire agency, but up here in the northeast, they mostly do contract fraud against the DOD such as bid rigging, defective pricing, product substitution, etc... Now that is criminal work, but it is white collar crime, going through documents and doing interviews of folks who tend to be executives of large companies, meaning they have money and lawyers. That means kicking in doors and doing surveillance is few and far between.

They get LEAP and have take-homes. They do go to FLETC bit do not do the IG Academy as an add-on.

I had a case of a military guy stealing stuff my agency provided them and when I went there to ask for help, they were begging the boss to let them get involved in something "juicy." I just needed one body for help getting me some documents. I got 4. And when they found out I was doing a surveillance on the guy, I had 8 agents begging to come along, some who had been on years and never done such. What was going to be a simple surveillance of a package delivery and following where it went turned into a 13 person thing. Many explained they don't get do "this stuff" that much. Nothing wrong with that as they are making million dollar cases, but some wanted to be getting dirty rather than white collar.

Keep in mind the agency mission before you apply for a 1811 gig. If you want to ride a desk, don't like kicking in doors, getting dirty or really only want to work large white collar cases, certain agencies are not the place for you. You have to find what you want to do or enjoy doing and find a agency with a mission that fits that. All to often I hear candidates say "I will take any 1811 gig and worry if I like it later, at least I will be a 1811." Big mistake! You will end up going to a job you will be miserable at every day, something you will not enjoy and end up resent going to work. And that will show in your case work, and thus your performance and thus your rating. Your peers and co-workers will see it. And when you try to leave to agency B, the boss will have agents there call agents they know at your current employer and get the low down on you. And when that gets back to the boss, they will find another candidate. I have seen it happen at least a dozen times in my short time with the feds. Do your homework on a agency. They best place to see what they are really doing is to look at their seem-annual report to Congress.

[FedLeo]

This job just posted to USA jobs today. I finished up my application and I am wondering if anyone currently works for the agency as an 1811? Any insight into the job, formal training, scope of investigations, or any other helpful information? The job posting did not state anything about attending FLETC but I assume since it is an 1811 series FLETC would be required. The posting also stated nothing about LEAP. Could it be that this agency doesn't do much overtime so LEAP is not authorized? Anyway enough rambling on. Any insight anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated.

DCIS typically hires experienced Criminal Investigators and they usually have CITP. However, DCIS has hired a lot of former Army CID guys and/or other OIG Agents. Who don't have CITP and they don't typically send them to CITP.

Regarding this announcement; I've never seen DCIS advertise via USAJOBS or IGNet. These positions also look like entry level positions. With the new boss they have, times might be changing at DCIS, CITP might become a requirement.

[Joeyd6]

However, DCIS has hired a lot of former Army CID guys and/or other OIG Agents. Who don't have CITP and they don't typically send them to CITP.

They do hire folks who were Army-CID and OIG agents from other agencies who transfer in. Hoverer nobody coming in now gets away without having done CITP. That may have been the case years ago, it does not stand any longer. If you come from Army CID and have not been to CITP (which is likely), it is mandatory you must attend CITP. If you are a new hire with former 1811 experience, you go to FLETC. In addition, if you come from another OIG, you do not have to attend CITP, because you already went through it.

Your post implies many OIG's don't attend CITP, when in fact, all special agents/1811's with a federal OIG who are 6C have gone through such and have been since 2001. In addition, after OIG's finish CITP, they all go through IGTP. Some agencies let you roll right into IGTP, some make you come home and work a few months before going back. The after IGTP, many of the IG's have their own agency specific add-on.

And now for some fun facts from FLETC. This is academy time based upon what is on file at FLETC (and yes, the FBI, DEA and USPIS and FLETC Academies all share/talk) as of 2/2010, for new agents not including required "on-line or Computer Based Training (CBT)." Don't shoot the messenger...this is what they have filed:
Secret Service: CITP 580 hours/11.5 weeks + SABT 765 hours/17 weeks = 1,345 hours/28.5 weeks
ICE- CITP 580 hours/11.5 weeks +ICE-SAT 525 hours/10.5 weeks = 1105 basic hours/22 weeks
USMS- Combined CITP/USMS= 783 hours / 17.5 weeks
OIG's- CITP 580 hours/11.5 weeks + IGTP 150 hours / 3 weeks = 730 basic hours/14.5 weeks + agency add-ons
FBI New Agent Training: 759 hours/20 weeks
DEA Academy New Agent Training: 720 hours/16 weeks
USPIS Service: 720 hours/16 weeks

[FedLeo]

That's good to know. Most of the OIG folks I know are old and a lot have not attended CITP or even an IG Academy. Glad to see that is changing. It's interesting they didn't mention CITP in the announcement.

[Joeyd6]

Yeah,

It all changed after 9/11 for the OIG community. The old "auditors with guns" are mostly nearing retirement. A few may be left but all will be gone within 5 years. I am on my seocnd OIG and at my first, about 25% were exactly what you said. At my new place though, there's about 1% that way. It was great suprise to see it that way. I think our quarterly PT test keeps everyone physically in shape and everyone in my agency not only completes the 50 hour annual in-service during the assigned week, but attendance is not considered participation. You better break a sweat and HQ is there to monitor such. In addition we spend on average spend another 160-200 hours in advance training at FLETC, Quantico or Beltsville. I know last year I spent 80 hours in advance firearms training (FI instructor), 60 hours of tech training (tech agent stuff), 40 hours in Quantico at a joint ageny training, and 40 hours at FLETC. This year I have already been gone about 4 weeks on stuff. It makes work harder, but well worth it to make sure we are up to par.