Criminal Investigations

The Special Victims Unit, formerly known as the Child Abuse/Sex Crimes Unit, has increased its responsibility to include Missing Persons and the Victim Advocate. In addition, the six detectives assigned to the Unit are charged with investigating cases of child abuse and neglect, elder abuse and neglect, sexual battery, sex offenses, domestic violence, parental kidnapping, stalking, workplace violence and threats. Threat abatement is still considered a viable method of reducing the rising number of domestic related homicides. The Unit also monitors the city's sexual predators and sexual offenders.

The Auto Theft Unit continues to promote using other anti-theft devices to secure not only vehicles but trailers also. The unit does not want owners to rely on just locking their cars or thinking that the alarm system that comes with your vehicle or is installed by an after market company will stop the average thief.

There are additional devices that shut off the flow of gas or a computer chip that is on the key ring that if not within a few feet of the vehicle, it simply will not start. The unit has been giving out steering wheel locks (“The Club”) to the top ten vehicles stolen in the city. Trailer locks have been given out help combat the theft of trailers. Trailers, whether enclosed or flatbed, have become more popular to steal since the area was hit more frequently by hurricanes. The unit is also working on reinstating the Combat Auto theft Program which employs the popular “CAT” sticker to alert officers to possible stolen vehicles late at night.

“Lo-Jack” has become one of the most popular after market devices to find a vehicle after it’s been stolen. “Lo-Jack” is not only used on vehicles, it can be found on heavy equipment such as front end loaders, bulldozers, bobcats, etc. The police department currently has 26 police cars equipped with “Lo-Jack” units to assist us in finding a victims property.

The Forensic Unit functions as a support of the Criminal Investigations Division. Its main function is the processing of major crime scenes such as homicides, suicides, accidental and suspicious deaths, assaults, sexual batteries, robberies, child abuse and other felony type crimes. The main purpose of the unit's investigations is the collection, interpretation, preservation and court presentation of physical evidence from crime scenes.