South Central Drug Investigation Unit SCDIU Tactical Team……………………………………………………………………………………21

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.

INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION

Crimes Against Persons

Investigators spent hours working cases involving crimes against persons in 2009. Many cases were worked jointly with other agencies such as other local police departments, human s e r v i c e s a g e n c i e s , a n d f e d e r a l agencies.

Property Crimes

A significant amount of time was spent on several high profile investigations in 2009.

School Resource Officers

With over 5000 students enrolled in the Owatonna Public School district, the School Resource Officers are assigned to help maintain a safe, secure, and uninterrupted learning environment for the students, staff, and parents in the district. The liaison officers, one assigned the senior high school and the other assigned to the junior high and elementary schools, serve as a resource to prevent crime in the school as well as investigate incidents that occur on school property. The liaisons also serve as an education resource by bringing their experience and expertise as guest instructors in certain facets of educational curriculum.

INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION

SOUTH CENTRAL DRUG INVESTIGATION UNIT

The Owatonna Police Department continued the leadership role as Fiscal Agents of the South Central Drug Investigation Unit in 2009. This included the assignment of a police sergeant as Commander of the task force as well as an administrative assistant. We also continued to co-fund a field agent position in conjunction with the Steele County Sheriff’s Department. The SCDIU is a federally funded narcotics task force formed in cooperation with member agencies of four counties, encompassing a jurisdictional area of approximately 2,500 square miles. Staffed by four specially trained field agents, the task force concentrates their efforts on narcotics distribution and narcotics related investigations. Agents also assist member agencies with criminal investigations that have a correlation with illegal drugs. The SCDIU has developed strong partnerships with adjoining task forces, the Minnesota BCA, FBI, DEA, and ICE, investigating cases that stretch beyond our boundaries that have a direct impact on the flow of illegal drugs into our area. The agents also focus on public education, especially the young people of our communities, by conducting presentations at schools, churches, civic organizations, and in the work place. Over 20 presentations were held throughout the south-central region of Minnesota, covering a wide range of topics such as teen drug use, methamphetamine labs, marijuana grows and club drugs. Task force agents directly touched the lives of over 1,200 people, educating them on recent illegal narcotics trends and the dangers that illegal drugs pose to our communities.

In 2009, SCDIU agents conducted 85 narcotics investigations which resulted in 27 search warrants, the arrests of 56 people and 63 people charged. Additionally, the task force assisted in federal narcotics investigations and 2 methamphetamine labs were dismantled. Confiscated or purchased illegal narcotics included 567 grams of cocaine, 1,487 grams of methamphetamine, 3.5 pounds of marijuana, 35 marijuana plants, 112 grams of mushrooms, 38 dosage units of prescription medication, and smaller quantities of crack cocaine and ecstasy. Agents also seized cash, several vehicles, and jewelry, which was directly linked as proceeds from the distribution of illegal drugs. The task force continued to see the rise in the availability of all forms of cocaine and its decrease in price as well as the importation of glass methamphetamine from Mexico and a significant increase in its street value, to almost twice that of cocaine.