Overview

Sponsor: Eugene Springfield Fire Brief Overview: Background investigations are a complex process. This two-day course will identify the goals, steps, and challenges in conducting background investigations. Learn about legal issues including ADA, confidentiality, due diligence and avoiding liability. Traditional and on-line tools, resources and techniques will be discussed. You will learn how to organize an interview and how to utilize listening techniques. Learn what psychologists will need from a background investigation report. Applicant and file tracking requirements and legal updates will be discussed as well. Les Swenson Washington County Sheriff's Office Leslie Swenson is a Retired Washington County Deputy. He currently works as a Part Time Background investigator in the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Background unit. He was a certified instructor in all Critical skills areas and spent about 10 years as Patrol’s Liaison to training in the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Training unit. He was a certified Accident Reconstructionist and a Verbal Judo instructor. He has been involved in Background Investigations since shortly after retiring in 2014. Since 2018, he has been one of the instructors teaching a Background class through the OPOA. Matt Pavelek Washington County Sheriff's Office Matt Pavelek is a Retired Police Sergeant from the Nampa, Idaho Police Department. Matt currently works as a Background Investigator with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, where he has been employed since December 2017. Matt was a certified instructor in DUI/SFST, Drugs that Impair, and OC Spray, and taught at the Idaho POST Academy. Matt was a Drug Recognition Expert and supervised the DUI and Traffic Teams. Matt became a Background Investigator at the end of his career at Nampa Police Department and has continued in this role with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Todd Baker Background Unit Supervisor, Washington County Sheriff's Office