Narcotics

The narcotics investigators’ main functions are to identify known drug users and sellers of narcotics, seize and destroy drugs, recover money and proceeds from these dealers, arrest the subjects involved, educate the community on the dangers of drugs, educate fellow officers on drug trends and the changes within the judicial system, and to make the neighborhood and businesses free and safe from narcotics and narcotics traffickers.

To identify the drug dealers within the community, Detectives rely on information from the public, confidential informants, fellow officers and outside agencies. Once a dealer or location has been identified, Detectives will conduct surveillance, undercover buys of narcotics, search warrants and probation/parole checks:

Surveillances can consist of several officers from different units or agencies that follow a group of individuals or may just involve a few officers monitoring activity to and from a certain location. Undercover operations involve a detective or detectives posing as a potential drug buyer and purchasing narcotics from the dealer.

A confidential informant usually introduces the detective to the dealer and can also be involved in purchasing narcotics from dealers. Search warrants are the “bread and butter” of what narcotics investigators do. By using the above mentioned methods, Detectives are able to obtain enough probable cause to search houses, businesses, vehicles and persons. This will eventually lead to the recovery of narcotics, money, guns and the arrest of those involved.

Narcotics detectives also get involved in teaching classes to citizen groups, social services, probation and parole officers and high school students on the dangers of drugs and the effects drug use has on the community.

Vice/Intelligence

These investigators gathering information to identify and investigate organized criminal enterprises. These investigators handle counterfeit and pirated DVDs/CDs, prostitution, human trafficking, massage parlors, as well as some computer crimes. The Vice/Intelligence investigators assist City Hall personnel with writing and/or addressing any new Conditional Use Permits (CUP), approving/denying or changing any CUP that is up for amendment. These investigators also monitor all ABC establishments within the city. In doing this, we maintain regular contact with the Alcohol Beverage Control and patrol officers, addressing problem locations in our ongoing efforts to deter potential problems.