OCCUPATION: DMV FIELD INVESTIGATOR

Name: Eugene Devellerez

Agency: Department of Motor Vehicles

Thumbs up: “I like the challenge of building a case up from the complaint stage and presenting my findings to the district attorney for prosecution. Most of the time we work independently and the job is different every day. Catching bad guys is rewarding.”

Thumbs down: “Anyone considering this profession should know that it involves some element of risk since we are sworn peace officers who carry weapons and make arrests.”

Next step: “I want to move into a management position, and I think a master’s degree in public administration would help me at that level.”

Advice: “The excitement of catching a counterfeiter or car thief is mixed with many hours of tedious research and you have to be able to tolerate that as part of the job.”

Salary range: $29,928 to $40,284, depending on experience.

Hours: 40 to 50 hours per week.

Educational and training requirements: Most DMV field investigators have an associate of arts or bachelor of arts degree in law enforcement. Some are reservists or former California Highway Patrol officers. Applicants are required to take a state qualifying examination on law enforcement procedures. They are then ranked according to their performance on the test and placed on a list of available applicants. Upon hiring, investigators receive up to nine weeks of training before entering the field. One to two weeks of additional training is required every two years thereafter.

Size of work force: Small. In Orange County, about 42 people work as DMV field investigators.

Expected demand: Steady. Positions that become available are usually filled, but state budget reductions have prevented the hiring of additional investigators.

Job description: DMV field investigators pursue cases of counterfeit driver’s licenses, identification cards, vehicle registrations and pink slips. They also investigate odometer tampering, insurance fraud, forgeries, vehicle and boat thefts, unlicensed auto sales activities and sales of stolen vehicle parts. They assist other law enforcement agencies and are required to testify in court on the results of their investigations.

Employed by: DMV field offices.

For more information: Contact the Employment Development Department at (714) 978-7421 or the DMV Employment Examinations Office at (916) 657-7713.