Owatonna Police Department-2009 Annual Report

INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION Criminal Investigations The Investigation Division serves in a support capacity of the police department by concentrating on the investigation of criminal matters that have previously been reported to the Patrol Division.

An investigator will take a proactive approach when the need arises, by gathering intelligence, conducting human and electronic surveillance, and installing portable alarms. The major components of investigations are case screening, follow-up investigations, and gathering criminal intelligence.

In 2009, the unit was comprised of (1) Operations Commander, (1) Sergeant, (3) Corporal Investigators, (1) Investigator trainee, and (1) Administrative Assistant. The Operations Commander oversees the operation of the division. The Sergeant assigned to the Investigations Division currently serves as the Commander of the South Central Drug Investigation Unit. In addition to these responsibilities, the sergeant oversees the Predatory Offender Program, screens cases for assignment, and acts as a liaison to the Steele County Attorney’s Office. One of the Corporal Investigators and the Investigative Trainee are assigned to the Owatonna Public Schools during the school year, serving as School Resource Officers. In addition to their responsibilities as School Resource Officers, one serves as the primary financial crimes investigator and the other serves as a firearms and defensive tactics instructor. The second Corporal Investigator serves as the primary property crimes investigator and the Gang Intelligence Coordinator.

The third Corporal Investigator serves as the primary investigator for crimes against the person relating to sexual assaults, and adult/child protection matters. The investigator trainee is assigned to general investigations, which include crimes against persons and property. Investigator trainees are appointed to the investigative division as a means of staff development and are in this assignment for at least one year. Trainees in this role receive specialized training in the areas of interview and interrogation, writing, crime and death scene investigations, and writing search warrants. The Investigations Division Administrative Assistant serves as the property and evidence technician for the department and also serves as the Fiscal Agent for the South Central Drug Investigation Unit.

The types of cases referred to the Investigations Division are broken into two separate classifications, crimes against persons and property crimes. Crimes against persons involve criminal sexual assault, child/adult protection, assaults, arson, robbery, and homicide. Property crimes include: theft, burglary, fraud/forgery, financial, and computer crime. In addition, investigators conduct alcohol and tobacco compliance checks, coordinate predatory offender verifications, conduct pre-employment background investigations, oversee the Retailer’s Protection Agency (RPA) program, and gather gang and criminal intelligence.