Cold Case Units in Arizona

National List of Cold Case Units in the United States

The Cold Case Center

Collection of units in the United States

www.coldcasecenter.com

Protocols and Practices

Serving Survivors of Homicide Victims During Cold Case Investigations:

A Guide for Developing a Law Enforcement Protocol,
http://67.225.167.140/sites/default/files/uploads/guidefordevelopingalawenforcementprotocolaugust172011.pdf

Denver Police Department’s Victims’ Assistance Unit

The Denver Police Department has a unit dedicated to Victim Services, www.denvergov.org/dpdvau. Within that unit are the VAU—Cold Case Victim Services: Homicide and the VAU—Cold Case Victim Services: Sexual Assault.

Denver Police Department VAU has prepared several publications to assist with victim communications. They have allowed use of these publications on the ACJC web site, but Denver Police Department maintains rights to these materials. To use any or all of this material, please contact Denver Police Department.

VAU Cold Case Opt-in Letter

VAU Cold Case Memorial Letter

VAU Cold Case Program_Homicide Booklet

VAU Cold Case Program_Sexual Assault Booklet

VAU Cold Case Protocol

Award-Winning Cold Case Units

International Association of Chiefs of Police award finalists

NCIS Cold Case Homicide Unit

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is the first federal law enforcement agency to develop a full-time cold case homicide unit. Organized as a task force to solve the homicide of a US Navy officer in the Virgin Islands, the agents solved the case in 30 days. Since 1995, the NCIS Cold Case Homicide Unit has played a role in resolving 50 previously unresolved death cases, with the oldest resolved case dating back to 1968. In addition, the NCIS Cold Case Homicide Unit routinely provides training in cold case methodology and protocol to law enforcement personnel from around the United States. The unit also initiated an internship program and developed a no-cost cold case training seminar for state and local agencies.

Project Leader: Special Agent Jim Grebas

Phone: (202) 433-9183 · Fax: (202) 433-4922

www.ncis.navy.mil/mission/crime/felony.asp

Convicted Offender DNA Non-Compliance Clearinghouse/Cold Case Squad

When a 13-year-old girl was brutally raped, it was discovered that the rapist had already been convicted of almost 20 qualifying offenses that required the collection of his DNA sample. Further analysis revealed that alarming numbers of qualifying convicted offenders were being released into the community without compliance. This squad was established to obtain DNA samples from all convicted offenders who are required to do so. The multi-jurisdictional program seeks to obtain DNA standards at conviction. Since the project’s inception, there is increased information sharing among law enforcement agencies. Almost 14,000 cases have been reviewed, and 334 swabs obtained. More than 110 cases have been reassigned for investigation and 34 have been closed by arrest of the perpetrator.

Project Leader: Sergeant Cecile Alvarez

Phone: (305) 477-1112, ext. 258 · Fax: (305) 471-0808

E-mail: cmalvarez@mdpd.com

Charlotte-Mecklenberg Police Department - Cold Case Unit

In April of 2003 the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department established a cold case squad to address a backlog of approximately 400 open homicide cases that dated back to the 1960s. Initially two detectives and one FBI agent were assigned to the cold case squad but all realized that three investigators would have a limited affect on the number of cases that could be investigated and/or resolved. In an attempt to use an innovative approach, the investigators were able to recruit five retired individuals with a background in homicide investigations living in the area at no cost to the police department. Three were retired FBI agents; one was a New York Police Department captain; and one was a criminal justice professor. They were responsible for reviewing all cases and prioritizing investigations based upon evidence and potential investigative leads for the Cold Case Squad investigators.

Charlotte-Mecklenberg Police Department Cold Case Squad

Captain Paul J. Zinkann III

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department

Homicide/ADW Units

Desk: 704-336-6873

E-mail: pzinkann1@cmpd.org