The responsibilities of the Homicide Detail consist of investigating death-related crimes, officer involved shootings, missing person reports, and other criminal investigations as assigned. The detail consists of one Sergeant, Investigators and Investigative Assistants who respond to and process many cases. The Sergeant is available at all times to coordinate and expedite crime scene responses. Investigators interact regularly with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the Orange County Crime Lab, Identification Bureau, and Coroner’s Office, as well as other outside agencies. The cases handled by the Homicide Detail are sensitive, complex, and often very labor intensive. The investigators assigned to this team must possess tremendous skill and experience in their field of work in order to effectively work these high-profile cases. They write and expedite search warrants, collect evidence, conduct extensive interviews and interrogations, attend autopsies, perform death notifications, and assemble all reports required for case filing and prosecution. It is the function of the homicide investigator to either include or exclude criminal wrongdoing.
Missing Persons Investigations
Adult missing person investigations are also the responsibility of the Homicide Detail. The State of California has mandated that a report be generated and an investigation conducted in every case pertaining to a missing person. While many of these cases clear quickly when the subject returns home, some are more involved and require resources from both inside and outside of the Homicide Detail. These resources may include Reserve Deputies, the aero squadron, Search and Rescue teams, bloodhounds, patrol personnel, Explorers, and other investigative units.