The Criminal Investigations Division is led by Lieutenant Fred Nelson and consists of the following units/positions: Criminal Investigations Unit (General Investigations, Family Services, Victims Services), Street Crimes Unit, and Special Investigations Unit. In total, there are 13 officers and one full-time civilian position in this division.
Criminal Investigations Unit
The Newark Police Department Criminal Investigations Unit (CIU) is staffed by five detectives who are responsible for investigating major crimes occurring in the City of Newark as well as cases which require intensive or specialized investigative techniques. One detective serves a
s the Family Services Detective, who has specialized training in the area of juvenile and family services. Detectives assigned to CIU are on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on a rotating basis. Members of the Criminal Investigations Unit work closely with the Street Crimes Unit to solve crimes and with the Victims Services Specialist to provide assistance to the victims of crime that occurs in the City of Newark. The police department has one Polygraph Examiner assigned to CIU. The examiner conducts criminal and applicant testing for the department and assists other agencies by conducting exams.
Street Crimes Unit
The Newark Police Department Street Crimes Unit (SCU) is comp
rised of five officers. SCU targets a wide range of criminal activities including street-level and in-home narcotics sales, street-level robberies, vice, and order maintenance crimes. SCU also focuses on locating and arresting fugitives wanted by the Newark Police Department. SCU officers conduct their investigations in plain clothes, working as a team to conduct surveillance, gather information, and arrest criminals who commit crimes within the City of Newark. Along with their specialized mission targeting street level crimes, these experienced officers further assist and work hand in hand with the Drug Enforcement Agency, the United States Marshals Fugitive Apprehension Team, and the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force.
Special Investigations Unit
Detectives assigned to the Special Investigation Unit are assigned
to the DEA as Task Force Officers and are responsible for investigating narcotics offenses. Detectives in this assignment are highly motivated and are responsible for initiating their own investigations, whereas most other detective units conduct follow- up work on crimes that have already occurred. Detectives initiate investigations based on information received from a variety of sources including the Street Crimes Unit, the Patrol Division, Special Operations Unit, community members, confidential informants, and other law enforcement agencies.
Crisis Negotiations Team
The Newark Police Department’s Crisis Negotiations Team (CNT)
is comprised of five officers from various units within the police department who have received specialized training through the Newark Police Department, the Delaware State Police, the New Castle County Police Department, the FBI, and the Baltimore County (MD) Police Department. This specialized training concentrates on successful communication with people who are in crisis or are suffering from mental health issues. The goal of the Crisis Negotiations Team is the de-escalation of potentially violent situations through productive communication and the safe surrender or cooperation of the subject that is in crisis. The Crisis Negotiations Team is a part-time teams and is called-in for deployment in crisis situations such as a hostage or barricaded subjects, and may be deployed to supplement other law enforcement operational components during search warrants, suicidal subjects, or any incident where trained negotiators would be beneficial.
The Victim Services Coordinator (VSC) provides social services to victims and witnesses of violent crimes. Victim Services includes crisis intervention, providing information and support during criminal investigations and throughout the court process, and assistance with applications to the Victims' Compensation Assistance Program. Additionally, the VSC works with victims around safety planning and can assist with filing for Protection From Abuse orders. The VSC continues to work with victims and witnesses throughout the criminal justice to determine whether their needs are being met and the impact of the crime.