Responsibilities
The Detective Division is responsible for investigating and detecting crime within the City of Mount Vernon. Criminal activity that is first reported to the Patrol Division is forwarded to the Detective Division for investigative follow-up, which often requires identification of a suspect and their subsequent apprehension. Additionally, the Detective Division proactively initiates investigations into criminal activity that may otherwise remain unreported to the police. Investigations of this kind often culminate with the execution of a court ordered search warrant and the recovery of contraband, which may include illegally possessed handguns, narcotics, or stolen property.
The reach of the Detective Division extends beyond the borders of Mount Vernon. Locating and extraditing fugitives in foreign lands for serious offenses is a task undertaken by detectives. It is not unusual for investigations to bring detectives outside of New York State and even beyond the borders of the United States. Arrest warrants for a host of criminal offenses, as well as Family Court arrest warrants, are also forwarded to the Detective Division for detectives to locate and arrest the named fugitives in the warrants.
Partnering for the Fight Against Crime
A collaborative model has been utilized by the Detective Division to successfully investigate crime, forming partnerships with neighboring local law enforcement agencies, as well as with:
- International Law Enforcement Organizations
- The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms
- The Drug Enforcement Administration
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation
The following units are assigned to the Detective Division:
General Investigations Unit
The General Investigations Unit is responsible for the investigations of all crimes with solvability factors where an adult suspect has not been apprehended by the Patrol Division. Homicides and other Major Crimes may, under the direction of Detective Division Supervisors, be reassigned to the Major Case Unit. This Unit is staffed 24/7/365.
Major Case Unit
The Major Case Unit is assigned to investigate homicides and other major cases.
Violent Crimes Unit
The Violent Crimes Unit is assigned to investigate pattern crimes and apprehend suspects ‘in the act’.
Intel Unit
The Intel Unit is assigned to act as a case supplement for all crimes assigned to the entire Department and utilize unique tools to gather information from various sources. Once collected, the information is directed to the resource in the Department that needs it.
Criminal Investigations Unit
The Criminal Investigations Unit provides crime scene processing, sex offender registry maintenance and other tasks, as directed by the Detective Division Supervisors.
Youth Unit
The Youth Unit provides investigations for suspects under the age of 18 and is our direct link to the courts and County Attorney Offices that handle those cases.