Forensic Science Technician
GRADE: 11
SALARY: $35,724 – $53,820
POSITION TITLE: Forensic Science Technician
DEPARTMENT: LABORATORY/IDENTIFICATION
REPORTS TO: LABORATORY MANAGER
Position Summary
This position is responsible for securing information and evidence, classifying, analyzing and comparing records and assisting with the maintenance of relevant files. Duties include fingerprinting conscious, unconscious and deceased subjects to establish identity; photographing subjects; transmitting fingerprints to other law enforcement agencies; chemically processing and logging items for evidence and attending pre-trial conferences and testifying in court as to prisoner identifications and evidence processing results.Â
FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB
Essential Functions
- Classifies searches and compares fingerprints on arrested and potential suspect subjects for the purpose of determining prisoner’s correct identification.
- Classifies, searches and compares the fingerprints of certain job applicants to determine if these individuals have criminal records.
- Notifies the appropriate authorities when arrested subjects use an alias identity.
- Uses MULES and REJIS name checks to assist in determining prisoner’s true identity.
- Uses state and national AFIS systems to establish prisoner’s true identity.
- Assists with the maintenance of the Departments and Missouri Highway Patrol’s criminal and civil fingerprint files.
- Complies with revisions from time to time after mutual consultation.
- May be required to testify in court concerning prisoner identifications. Maintains Department’s criminal records.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
- Must be available to work all shifts which include days, evenings, nights, weekends and holidays.
- Shift differential of 1% is paid for evening, night and weekend shifts.
- Must successfully complete AFIS Certification by the Missouri Highway Patrol within 24 months of date of hire. Must also become certified to use REJIS and MULES criminal history files and arrest records by completion of the working test period.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Data Utilization: Requires the ability to process, calculate, compute, summate, and/or tabulate data and/or information. Includes the ability to perform subsequent action in relation to these computational operations.
- Human Interaction: Requires the ability to explain, demonstrate and clarify routine information to others within well-established policies, procedures and standards. Ability to follow specific instructions and respond to simple requests from others.
- Equipment, Machinery, Tools and Materials Use: Requires the ability to operate, maneuver and/or provide simple but continuous adjustment on equipment, machinery and tools such as computer terminal, scanners, fax, magnifiers, camera, electronic storage systems and/or materials used in performing essential functions.
- Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of reference and descriptive data and information such as forms, orders, packing slips, schedules and general operating manuals.
- Mathematical Aptitude: Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
- Functional Reasoning: Requires the ability to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagram form. Involves semi-routine standardized work, with some latitude for independent judgment regarding choices of action.
- Situational Reasoning: Requires the ability to exercise the judgment, decisiveness and creativity required in situations involving the evaluation of information against measurable or verifiable criteria.
- Environmental Factors: Tasks may risk exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as odor, noise, dust, heat, cold or chemicals.
- Physical Requirements: Requires the ability to lift laboratory equipment and supplies weighing up to fifty (50) pounds; push and pull carts weighing over one hundred (100) pounds. Requires the ability to stoop, crouch, climb and balance to handle laboratory equipment and supplies.
- Sensory Requirements: Requires the ability to recognize and identify individual characteristics of shapes to clearly identify objects.
Minimum Qualifications:
- An Associate’s degree in Physical or Forensic Science. OR one year of experience receiving, collecting, or processing forensic evidence for analysis. OR one year of experience working with fingerprint classification and identification. OR an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
Working Environment:
- Normal office environment with attending outside functions when required.
Machines, Tools, Equipment and Work Aids:
- Personal Computer
- Telephone
- Cell Phone
- Copier/Fax Machine
- Vehicle
PHYSICAL/VISUAL ACTIVITIES OR DEMANDS
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, reach, grasp, talk, and hear.
This position requires clarity of vision at 20 inches or less and the ability to bring objects into sharp focus, while reading from a computer screen.
The job has light physical demand (primarily sedentary) requiring the employee to exert negligible force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects in the normal course of routine office activities.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
The job description does not necessarily contain all of the actual or essential duties of this position. All job offers are contingent upon passing a medical evaluation/drug screen and criminal background check.
Certain job functions described herein may be subject to possible modification in accordance with applicable state and federal laws.
“Commonly associated” is not intended to mean always or only. There are different experiences that suggest other ways or circumstances where reasonable changes or accommodations are appropriate.
