National Certified Investigator & Inspector Training Basic Program

1. Professional Conduct National Certified Investigator & Inspector Training Basic Program Instructor Name Agency

2. Session Introduction

3. Learning Objectives • Upon completion of the session, you will be able to: • Explain common expectations of investigators by citizens and supervisors • Describe the effects of aptitude and attitude on perceived professionalism

4. Learning Objectives • Upon completion of the session, you will be able to: • Describe how appearance, bearing and personal values effect professionalism • Describe how ethical considerations and avoiding conflicts of interest maintains a high level of professionalism

5. Learning Objectives • Upon completion of the session, you will be able to: • Explain a professional approach to: • Gaining respect • Following procedures • Maintaining a high level of motivation

6. Session Map

7. Societal Expectations

8. Integrity • A good reputation is earned through: • Honesty • Proper conduct • Above-board activities • Unbiased Conduct and Actions • Fairness • Compromise of integrity places entire case at risk

9. Mature Judgment • Independent nature of job requires good judgment • Trust • Hasty or emotional decisions affect your credibility

10. Friendly and Persuasive • Public expects friendliness • Be professional and caring vs cold and uncaring • Open, sincere presence • Decreases tension and fear • Contributes to effective interviews • Establishes good relationships under severe circumstances

11. Firm • Carefully protect the rights and privilege of society • Firm does not equal stubborn • Absence of resolve seen as lack of conviction or trust in findings • Make firm assessments and decisions

12. Self-Assured, Confident • Supervisor expectations • Societal expectations • Be at ease in stressful situations • Reflect confidence in yourself and your abilities

13. Tolerance for Stress • Maintain even temperament despite external stress • Avoid impatience and emotional reactions • Stress is inherent, learn to manage it • Engage the person not the stress

14. Respect • Respect must be earned and retained by actions each day • How you present yourself • How you conduct an investigation • Courtesy towards position vs professional respect

15. Attitude • Attitude is what others perceive it to be • Non-verbal communication expresses attitude • Stance • Facial expression • Critical to project a positive attitude towards: • The agency • Those you come in contact with • Yourself

16. Appearance and Bearing • Investigators are judged based on personal habits, appearance and demeanor as well as their skills • Grooming habits • Posture • Mannerisms

17. Rules of Professionalism

18. Rules of Professionalism • Values • Never enforce personal values on an investigation • Investigators are impartial and objective fact-finders • Personal Involvement • Avoid personal involvement in a case • Perceived as bias • Maintain professional distance

19. Rules of Professionalism • Self Concept • Be aware of how you see yourself and how that will lead others to see you • Preparation • Invest due time and attention to allegations and people in an investigation • Careful analysis leads to better investigations

20. Rules of Professionalism • Expertise • Know the subject matter being questioned • Specialist vs. Generalist • Get technical assistance when needed • Continuing education • Aptitude • Departments should have standards for professional investigators

21. Ethics & Conflicts of Interest

22. Ethics • From the Greek Ethos, meaning “Character” • Professional Codes of Ethics • Institutionalized guidelines of proper behavior • Provides standards for behavior • Defines how people ought to interact with one another

23. Ethics • Actions must comply with the ethical package of considerations: • Compliance with relevant rules and policies • Expectations of the workplace and regulatory community • Principles of morality • Basic fairness

24. Ethics The success of every aspect of the investigative process depends on the professional integrity of the individual investigator.

25. Conflicts of Interest A situation in which someone in a position of trust, such as an employee, has competing professional or personal interests Any situation in which an individual or corporation is in a position to exploit a professional or official capacity in some way for personal or corporate gain

26. Conflicts of Interest • Restrictions on the activities of public officers and employees have existed in many jurisdictions for many years • Flagrant conflicts of interest include • Nepotism • Bribery • Extortion

27. Examples of Conflicts of Interest • Personal benefit/Self-dealing • Outside employment • Family interests • Gifts and gratuities • Other types of possible inappropriate conflicts

28. Personal Benefit/Self-Dealing • Inappropriate to use position as a public employee for personal gain • Includes privately held business interests and businesses owned/operated by friends or relatives

29. Outside Employment • Accepting employment in a 2nd job can cause problems if the duties of that position are adverse or incompatible with your position as an investigator

30. Family Interests • Most jurisdictions have rules to prevent nepotism • Family members should not report to each other within the same organization • Contracts should be awarded based on merit, not due to the employment of a family member

31. Gifts and Gratuities • Accepting any gift, gratuity, or other item having monetary value: • Creates the appearance of impropriety • Cause questions regarding the impartiality of an investigator • On a frequent basis creates the appearance of using position for personal gain

32. Appearance of Impropriety • Soliciting or accepting payment for services performed within the scope of official duties • Offering, or accepting payment for the use of your position to obtain a contract

33. Appearance of Impropriety • Using confidential information for the economic benefit of yourself, or another person • Accepting payment that may influence the performance of official duties

34. Appearance of Impropriety • Accepting professional opportunity when it is likely provided to influence the performance of official duties • Accepting any monetary payment for any appearance, speech, or article in which you provide expertise related to the performance of official duties

35. Motivation

36. Motivation • Catalyst for action • You are a professional and must be self-motivated • Motivation is needed every day

37. Session Review

38. Knowledge Check As a professional investigator/inspector it is important to avoid becoming personally involved in the investigation/inspection because it: • May make the interviewee very angry • Impairs your ability to be an unbiased fact-finder • Will show you care too much about the case

39. Knowledge Check Ethics are defined as a set of: • Rules relating to impartiality • Values concerning self-concept • Principles of right conduct • Standards regarding self-respect

40. Learning Objectives Review • You should now be able to: • Explain common expectations of investigators by citizens and supervisors • Describe the effects of aptitude and attitude on perceived professionalism

41. Learning Objectives Review • You should now be able to: • Describe how appearance, bearing and personal values effect professionalism • Describe how ethical considerations and avoiding conflicts of interest maintains a high level of professionalism

42. Learning Objectives Review • You should now be able to: • Explain a professional approach to: • Gaining respect • Following procedures • Maintaining a high level of motivation

43. Questions

44. Session Evaluation

45. In general, this instructor: • Is Unacceptable • Needs Improvement • Is Good • Is Very Good • Is Excellent

46. The style of delivery: • Is Unacceptable • Needs Improvement • Is Good • Is Very Good • Is Excellent

47. The content: • Is Unacceptable • Needs Improvement • Is Good • Is Very Good • Is Excellent

48. The amount of material covered: • Is Unacceptable • Needs Improvement • Is Good • Is Very Good • Is Excellent

49. The usefulness of this session: • Is Unacceptable • Needs Improvement • Is Good • Is Very Good • Is Excellent