Chesterfield Police 2002 Annual Report

Investigations Bureau

The Investigations Bureau incorporates both the Criminal Investigations and Special Investigations divisions. CID investigates major crimes against persons, property and juveniles. SID investigates organized criminal activity that involves activities such as drug trafficking, gambling, and vice offenses. The division also provides surveillance, intelligence gathering and technical-equipment operations for the entire police department. The division also houses the Forensic Unit that is tasked with collecting, processing and presenting evidence from crime scenes.

The Crimes Against Persons Unit consists of three sections: the General Persons Crimes Section, Crimes Against Juveniles/Domestic Violence Section, and the Major Case Section. These sections investigate deaths, robberies, rapes, aggravated assaults, child abuse, and exploitation of children, as well as cases of missing persons, juvenile runaways, threatening and obscene telephone calls, extortion, suicides, and various firearm violations. Generally, crimes of a violent or sexual nature fall within the Crimes Against Persons Unit's area of responsibility. The department's domestic violence coordinator is assigned to the unit. Chesterfield served as the lead agency in the investigation and arrest of a man who committed more than 35 armed robberies in the area.

The Crimes Against Property Unit is divided into two main sections (with one being further subdivided into two smaller subsections). The General Property Crimes Section is responsible for the investigation of burglary, grand larceny, large-loss vandalism, arson, explosives cases, and environmental crimes. The second section, Economic Crime/Auto Theft, is divided into two subsections with one investigating crime, such as fraud, embezzlement and computer crime, while the other subsection is responsible for the investigation of motor-vehicle thefts. The Crimes Against Property Unit is also responsible for staffing, scheduling and supervising the department's polygraph examiners. Members of the unit placed criminal charges against the persons responsible for more than 200 reported residential burglaries. Detectives also identified the suspects responsible for breaking into more than 350 cars and recovered nearly $20, 000 worth of property stolen from the vehicles.

The Anti-Crime Task Force (ACTF) is responsible for technical and electronic-surveillance operations for the department. The unit works closely with the Criminal Investigations Division on all major investigations to provide support in the area of locating and surveilling suspects and witnesses. The unit also identifies and targets career and serial criminals who operate within Chesterfield County. The unit participated in the multi-jurisdictional surveillance in response to the sniper incidents.

The Vice and Narcotics Unit is responsible for the investigation of offenses including prostitution, sexual solicitation, pornography and gambling. The also target and investigates mid-to upper-level drug traffickers and organizations. Members of this unit also are responsible for identifying and seizing assets of criminals obtained directly or indirectly through illegal activity, such as drug trafficking.

The Fugitive Unit operates under the command of the Special Investigations Division and is supervised by the Division Commander. The section is charged with the apprehension of wanted persons and the reduction of unserved criminal warrants. Section detectives also are responsible for the extradition of persons wanted in Chesterfield, who are located and held in other states. Two detectives currently man the section. The unit cleared more than 1000 warrants this year. Detectives continue to update and distribute posters of the top ten most wanted persons.

The Forensic Unit collects, processes, and analyzes evidence. Its detectives and civilian personnel are also responsible for maintaining automated fingerprint files, making courtroom presentations, and in-house training. The unit averaged five success stories per month by identifying suspects either through the Automated Fingerprint Identification System or through Virginia's DNA database system.

Back to Top