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MAJOR CRIMES UNIT
from 2021 Annual Report
by Verdin
THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE DETECTIVE DIVISION
is responsible for the investigation of criminal cases that go above and beyond the scope and resources of the Patrol Division. This includes all misdemeanor and felony crimes for both local and state laws where other agencies do not have the primary investigative responsibility. These cases require a large number of resources for an extended period of time. They typically require investigators with specialized training, knowledge, and equipment.
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Detectives in the Detective Division are assigned to a specific area of investigation. Detectives in the Major Crimes Unit are responsible for investigating crimes against persons and property. Detectives in the Special Victims Unit are responsible for crimes that are sexual in nature: child molestations, child pornography, non-financial elder abuse, and sexual registrants. The Crime Lab, forensic specialists, and the Cal-ID coordinator provide technical evidence collection and analysis to all agencies in the county.
While carrying their caseload, detectives must also appear in court to testify on investigations that have been submitted to the District Attorney’s Office and filed in court. Some cases make it through the court process in a relatively short amount of time, while others may take years.
In 2021, the Major Crimes Unit investigated an officer-involved shooting (OIS) in the City of San Luis Obispo. The Major Crimes Unit solved an active homicide investigation that began in 2018 in Oceano. Multiple homicide cases went through the trial process and convictions were secured. The Major Crimes Unit investigated a home invasion robbery which led to a manhunt. The suspect was located on the east coast and extradited to San Luis Obispo County. Along with these major investigations, detectives investigated numerous cases of attempted homicide, burglary, identity theft, at-risk missing persons, criminal threats, child abuse, and embezzlement, just to name a few.
Lastly, a joint effort between the Cold Case Unit, Crime Lab, and the entire Sheriff’s Office Detective Division led to a major break thru in the Kristin Smart case which led to multiple arrests.
