California Police Chief- Fall 2013 CPCA_2018_Winter Magazine-FINAL | Page 22
only with individual investigators, but for the entire
organization and may help prevent some cases from
going cold in the first place.
• MULTI-AGENCY COLLABORATION – Beyond the benefits listed
previously, cold case review enhances the opportunity
for different organizations to work together to find
resolution. Combining not only the resources, but the
skills and experience of investigators from different
backgrounds brings the potential closure of difficult
cases much closer. This is especially beneficial for
smaller agencies that have fewer internal resources.
Managed correctly, collaboration makes the most of all
available resources, so that each participant benefits, as
does the overall mission: solving cold cases.
• UPHOLDING OUR SWORN DUTY – Simply put, it’s the right
thing to do. Major cases go cold for any number of
reasons. However, when leadership, vision and the
belief that it is our responsibility as law enforcement
leaders to ensure we are committed to implementing
best practices, putting the right people in the right
places, and providing what limited resources and
training we can afford towards accomplishing our
mission.
A member of PRVNT begins the initial presentation of an
unsolved homicide to members of the team, the DA’s Office
and DOJ.
Cold cases affect us all. It is undeniably one of the
most difficult aspects of our jobs. We took this oath to help
others, and when we are unable to, it can be discouraging.
Solving cold cases IS possible with the right mindset and
resources. At the end of the day, we all win. ■
Whiteboards, notebooks, determination. Monterey Peninsula
Detectives met to discuss investigative tactics in October 2018
as part of the Peninsula Regional Violence and Narcotics
Team (PRVNT). This most recent collaborative investigation
resulted in the arrest of five suspects involved in two sepa-
rate 2014 cold case homicides and two attempted homicides.
PRVNT’s primary mission is to reduce violent crime on the
Monterey Peninsula. It is comprised of investigators from
multiple different law enforcement agencies.
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California Police Chief | www.californiapolicechiefs.org
Getting the message out. The benefits to the victim, the
family and the community are not the only significant
rewards for the agency committed to solving cold cases.