Captain Diane McCarthy                                                          Director

Lieutenant Paul Liquorie
Deputy Director

The Criminal Investigations Division (CID) is comprised of six sections responsible for investigating a wide range of property crimes and crimes against persons.

Five of our six district stations have fully operational investigative sections.

Detectives conduct investigations of burglary, theft, missing persons, assaults, citizen robberies, minor sex offenses, blackmail, telephone misuse, hate crimes and other criminal acts. 

Forensic Services Section (FSS)

The FSS encompasses the Evidence Unit, Firearms Examination Unit, Photography Unit, R.A.F.I.S. and the Polygraph Unit. 

The Evidence Unit is responsible for the collection/documentation and preservation of crime scene evidence. Evidence technicians are also responsible for processing scenes for latent prints. 

The Firearms Examination Unit examines weapons, shell casing and bullets, then completes comparisons to determine if a particular weapon fired the bullet in question. They also compare tool marks, provides test fires and NIBIN entry of ballistics information for all weapons recovered by MCPD. 

The Polygraph Unit coordinates all polygraphs performed by MCPD personnel for both criminal and pre-employment related investigations. 

The Photography Unit is responsible for the processing, storage and maintenance of all photographic images and evidence, both digital and 35mm film. 

R.A.F.I.S. provides examination, analysis and identification of fingerprint evidence.

Financial Crimes Section

The Financial Crimes Section investigates crimes involving forgery/uttering, embezzlement, counterfeiting of checks/credit cards, financial exploitation of the elderly and identity theft. The Computer Crime Unit, which is housed within the Financial Crimes Section, is responsible for computer forensics and conducting investigations involving computers used as a tool in a crime. 

Career Criminal Section

The Career Criminal Section encompasses the Firearms Investigations Unit and the Pawn Unit. 

The Firearms Unit investigates all cases were firearms are used in a crime or seized as a result of a search. They identify prohibited persons through criminal records checks and obtain search warrants to recover weapons from those prohibited people. 

The Pawn Unit maintains the Regional Pawn Data Sharing System (RPDSS) and conducts compliance checks of pawn shops and second-hand stores.

Central Auto Theft Section (CATS)

The objective of CATS is to reduce vehicle theft in the County through investigation, enforcement, and theft prevention education.

Crime Laboratory

The Crime Laboratory consists of the following units:

Forensic Biology Unit (DNA)

The Forensic Biology Unit analyzes biological stains and materials to determine the identity of the fluids or stains when possible and conduct DNA analysis. Testing is conducted on bodily fluids such as blood, semen and saliva. Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) Technology is used to enable law enforcement and crime laboratories to exchange and compare DNA profiles thereby linking crimes to each other and to convicted offenders and arrestees.

Forensic Chemistry Unit

The Forensic Chemistry Unit analyzes vegetation, powders, tablets, capsules, liquids, and paraphernalia for the presence of controlled dangerous substances (CDS).

Crime Scene Unit (FSS)

The Crime Scene Unit analyzes crime scenes to identify, collect and preserve evidentiary material, conduct blood pattern analysis, develop latent fingerprints and conduct shoe and tire track comparisons.

Firearms Examination Unit

The Firearms Examination Unit analyzes firearms and firearms related evidence, tools and other items to conduct firearms and tool mark comparisons, ballistics examinations, serial number restorations and trajectory analysis. The unit is a participant in the “NIBIN” program (National Integrated Ballistic Information Network).

Latent Print Unit (RAFIS)

The Latent Print Unit utilizes regional and statewide automated fingerprint systems to compare prints of arrested subjects, suspects, witnesses, and deceased individuals against latent fingerprint evidence obtained at crime scenes and examine the results.

Photography Unit

The Photography Unit provides photographic services in forensic photography and public relations, processes film in digital formats as well as 35 mm film, prints video images from various formats (VHS, SVHS, Hi-8mm, VHS-C, and Beta), provides digital enhancement of video images, duplicates regular and time lapse video, provides digital production of photo arrays, operates and coordinates and maintains the Digital Image Management System (DIMS) and the archiving of crime scene photographs.

The Crime Laboratory, including the Electronic Crimes Unit in Financial Crimes Section, underwent an external ASCLD-LAB (American Society of Crime Lab Directors – Lab Accreditation Board) accreditation inspection in November, 2011.  ISO accreditation is pending, expected in early summer of 2012.