Criminal Investigations Command

Detective Section
Detectives follow up on crimes, especially violent felonies, where the offender was not apprehended by first responders. Detectives bring coordinated plainclothes resources to bear on difficult problems like homicides, death investigations, auto theft rings, burglaries, robberies, arsons, sex crimes, threats to public officials, and crimes against vulnerable persons (such as financial exploitation of the elderly).

Crime Scene Investigators / Crime Scene Processing
Investigators from the Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) Unit process crime scenes; collect and submit evidence for testing, such as fingerprints and DNA; and perform morgue runs for death investigations.

Crime Scene Investigators produce high-precision crime scene reconstructions (such as murder scenes) using the new FARO high-precision 3-D laser scanning equipment.

Crime scene investigator (CSI) services are provided to dozens of Cook County suburban municipalities.

Special Victims Section
Also situated under the Criminal Investigations Command, the Special Victims Section investigates human trafficking, vice, gambling, animal crimes, child pornography, and internet crimes against children. It also includes Forensic Services (long-term missing persons, unidentified human remains), the Child Protection Unit (abuse and neglect warrants, DCFS liaison), and coordinates the law enforcement partnership with the Cook County Department of Revenue for cigarette and liquor tax stamp enforcement.

Specialized investigators work cases involving crimes against animals (dog fighting, neglect, cruelty) and animal hoarding. Animals are rescued from cruel and inhumane conditions.
Specialized Services
The various components of the Criminal Investigations Command assist a wide variety of outside agencies, including the provision of polygraph operators, police sketch artists, and accident reconstructionists.

Property
The Evidence and Recovered Property Section (ERPS) handles all recovered evidence for the Sheriff’s Office. Coordinates lab testing of most submitted evidence (NIRCL). Submits ATF gun traces on crime guns. A key statutory responsibility is the maintenance of murder evidence, which generally must be kept forever.

TEAMS
Teams the Detective Section participates in include the following:

• PITF – Illinois State Police Public Integrity Task Force (addresses officer-involved shootings)
• SSMCTF – South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force
• WESTAF – West Suburban Major Crimes Task Force
• NORTAF – North Regional Major Crimes Task Force
• MCAT – Major Case Assistance Team
• Southwest Major Crimes Task Force

Teams the Special Victims Section participates in include the following:

• Illinois DCFS Children’s Justice Task Force
• Cook County Medical Examiner’s Board