Criminal Investigations Division
• The Homicide Unit solved a major cold case after hard work, perseverance and determination.
• Crimes Against Children Unit works to protect our community’ s most vulnerable victims.
• Project RAISE focuses on reducing the cycle of family violence through a multi-faceted approach.
The Criminal Investigations Division encompasses Homicide, Gang, Robbery, Auto Theft, Regional Auto Theft Taskforce, Domestics, Sex Crimes, Economic Crimes, Fugitives, Crimes Against Children, and Vice and Narcotics Units. The homicide unit investigated 20 murder cases in 2016. The unit also continued to work cases that are unsolved and lists several cold cases on the department’ s website. Last year, homicide detectives received a break in the case of an elderly couple who were murdered in 2012. The unit sifted through hundreds of leads but nothing material ever developed. The department received a break when a DNA confirmation hit identified the suspect. Two suspects have now been charged and are awaiting trial.
Crimes Against Children detectives primarily work criminal cases involving physical and sexual abuse of children and involve some of the most egregious and challenging cases. Detectives work to provide justice for children who cannot protect themselves and most of the time, the suspect is a family member or someone who is close to the child. In 2016, the unit was assigned 419 cases involving some type of sexual abuse of a child.
One of the cases involved two boys who found the courage to speak out and inform investigators that they endured abuse for nearly three years. Detectives worked closely with Child Protective Services and The Alliance for Children to bring safety
to the victims. The adoptive father was charged with multiple felonies related to the offense. The children have been provided the necessary tools and resources to help them recover through this ordeal.
Project RAISE( Risk Assessment Intervention Safety Engagement) is a program that conducts follow-up home visits with the Top 3 repeat domestic locations in each district once a month. Victim Services Counselors and patrol officers respond to these locations in an
effort to offer a support system and help develop a safety plan that will return victims to a healthy climate to enjoy life. The department has determined that arrests made by police are not enough to deter repeat cycles of violence. The program has been effective in providing needed services to victims and restoring a sense of normality to family situations. In 2016, patrol officers and counselors visited 134 repeat domestic violence locations and made contact with 104 victims. Before the home visits, these locations experienced 907 calls for service; after the visits, the calls were reduced to 112 calls for service resulting in an 88 % reduction.
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Annual Report 2016