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Chapter 10
Investigations
Learning Objectives
LO1 Discuss traditional detective operations.
LO2 Describe the activities of a detective in a police agency.
LO3 Introduce alternatives to retroactive investigation of past crimes by detectives.
Lesson Plan
Correlated to PowerPoints
I. Retroactive Investigation of Past Crimes by Detectives
Learning Objective 1: Discuss traditional detective operations.
A. Rand study: The Criminal Investigation Process revealed that a lot of detectives’ time
was spent unproductively and consequently investigations were not being efficiently
conducted.
Class Discussion/Activity:
Discuss the innovations to police detective operations motivated by the Rand study and other
studies.
B. Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) study in 1981
C. National Survey of Police Practices Regarding the Criminal Investigations Process:
Twenty-Five Years After Rand
II. Detective Operations
Learning Objective 2: Describe the activities of a detective in a police agency.
A. The Investigative Process
2. Documentation consists of the officer’s field notes.
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3. The incident report must answer the questions of who, what, where, when, how,
and why.
See Assignment 1
B. What Detectives Do
Media Tool
“CSI Las Vegas”
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NzgPNpQknoVideo: CSI Las Vegas Introduction
o Discussion: Discuss what you see in the video. What do the screen shots say about CSI
work? What does the theme song say about CSI work? Is this realistic in today’s society?
Why or why not?
2. Collect evidence
3. Process or oversee the processing of the crime scene (search the scene of a crime
5. Interrogate possible suspects
7. Prepare the case, with the assistance of the district attorney’s or prosecutor’s
office, for presentation in court
C. The Detective Mystique
1. The idea that detective work is glamorous, exciting, and dangerous, as it is
depicted in the movies and on television
See Assignment 2
III. Alternatives to Retroactive Investigation of Past Crimes by Detectives
Learning Objective 3: Introduce alternatives to retroactive investigation of past crimes by
detectives.
A. Improved Investigation of Past Crimes
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2. The National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals
recommendations
B. Managing Criminal Investigations (MCI)
Class Discussion/Activity:
Describe how Managing Criminal Investigations programs work and their impact on the
detectives’ job.
2. Designing a new method to manage criminal investigations by including
3. Use of a managerial system that grades cases according to their solvability
a. Is there a witness?
b. Is a suspect named or known?
c. Can a suspect be identified?
d. Will the complainant cooperate in the investigation?
C. Mentoring and Training
What If Scenario
Your lieutenant has asked you to prepare a mentoring program for future detective candidates.
What must you include in this program to prepare them for the position?
1. Informal mentoring programs
2. Formal mentoring programs
IV. Crime Analysis and Information Management
Learning Objective 4: Discuss the importance of crime analysis and information management,
and the current coordinated efforts facilitating investigative success.
A. Crime Analysis
1. The process of analyzing the data collected in a police organization to determine
2. Intelligence-led policing describes the strategy of using data analysis and other
intelligence to focus police efforts on incidents and offenders causing the most
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See Assignment 3
B. Information Management
2. The computer age has allowed law enforcement agencies to share information
3. Being better able to record, analyze, share, and disseminate information to the
C. Multiagency Investigative Task Forces
1. A group of investigators working together to investigate one or more crimes
3. Multiagency task forces, repeat offender programs, cold-case squads, and the use
of closed-circuit TV or surveillance cameras have led to improved case clearance.
D. Repeat Offender Programs (ROPs)
Class Discussion/Activity:
Discuss the rationale behind repeat offender programs (ROPs) and give some examples.
1. Police can identify certain people to be the target of investigation.
3. High-rate offenders
a. Persistent offenders (those who commit crimes over a long period of
time)
b. High-rate offenders (those who commit numerous crimes per year)
c. Dangerous offenders (those who commit crimes of violence)
d. Repeat offender programs may identify certain individuals to be targets
Media Tool
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Study: Prisons failing to deter repeat criminals in 41 states
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-04-12-Prison-recidivism-rates-hold-steady.htm
o Article: USA Today article regarding recidivism
o Discussion: Discuss what you read in the article. Discuss the recidivism rates and discuss
the increase and decrease in rates. What is the system doing right/wrong?
E. Internet Registries
1. This primarily serves as a public notification system so parents know if there are
any sex offenders living in their neighborhood.
3. Recently, some states have created a similar registry for meth offenders.
F. Global Positioning System (GPS) Technology, Smart Phones, and Social Media
Class Discussion/Activity:
Describe two of the new technologies that assist law enforcement in investigations. Explain how
they help, and describe any constitutional concerns.
1. GPS has improved to a degree to allow law enforcement to track offenders
without having them physically followed 24 hours a day.
What If Scenario
You have been assigned to the burglary unit at your department. You are tracking a suspected
burglar and want to be sure you are operating within the law. You have just been informed your
target is getting ready to leave her residence in her car. What should you do to make sure you can
track this individual?
2. Global positioning system technology and closed-circuit TV allow investigators
3. Smart phones are being used to take photos of suspects, vehicles, crimes in
4. Social media are being used by law enforcement to reach out to the public to help
with crime information and suspect identification.
G. Surveillance Cameras
1. Most courts have upheld the use of surveillance cameras.
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3. YouTube videos have been used as evidence in criminal cases.
H. Cold-Case Squads
Class Discussion/Activity:
Describe the approach that cold-case squads take toward investigations and how they achieve
success.
1. Investigative units that reexamine old cases that have remained unsolved
Media Tool
Cold Case Homicides
http://www.lawofficer.com/article/investigation/cold-case-homicides
o Law Officer Magazine—lawofficer.com
o Discussion: Discuss this article. Discuss the new protocols and technical developments that
can be used to solve cold cases.
2. They use the passage of time coupled with a fresh set of eyes to help solve cases
that have been stagnant for years and often decades.
4. With the tremendous advances in technology during the last couple of decades,
cold-case squads have had significant success in investigating old, dormant cases.
See Assignment 5
V. Proactive Tactics
Learning Objective 5: Describe the proactive tactics being used by investigators.
A. Decoy Operations
1. Blending: plainclothes officers’ efforts to blend into an area and attempt to catch a
criminal
2. Decoy operations: officers dress as, and play the role of, potential victims and
B. Stakeout Operations
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2. Stakeouts are effective in cases in which the police receive a tip that a crime is
going to occur in a commercial establishment or in which the police discover or
come upon a pattern.
What If Scenario
You have been asked by your chief to set up a stakeout operation to attempt to catch suspects that
have been staging “take over” robberies of local banks. What should you do to ensure the success
of the stakeout?
C. Sting Operations
1. Undercover police operations in which police pose as criminals to arrest law
violators
2. Generally, a sting operation includes four elements:
a. An opportunity or enticement to commit a crime
D. Cybercrime Investigations
2. Requires specialized training and equipment for law enforcement agencies
See Assignment 6
VI. Undercover Operations
Learning Objective 6: Describe undercover operations, including undercover drug
investigations.
A. Police Undercover Investigations
1. Covert investigations that generally include drug undercover investigations;
stings, including warrant stings and fencing stings that involve the buying and
2. The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA)
requires departments to have policies and procedures in place concerning
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B. Federal Undercover Investigations
1. These investigations generally include efforts at detecting and arresting people
2. Federal agencies often form joint task force investigations with local, county, and
state law enforcement agencies.
C. Drug Undercover Investigations
1. Three general methods
a. Infiltrating criminal organizations that sell large amounts of drugs
What If Scenario
You are an undercover narcotics officer involved in a “buy-bust” operation. The seller has not
arrived at the location at the time indicated. What do you do to make sure the seller is going to
show up without “blowing” your cover?
VII. Entrapment
Learning Objective 7: Define entrapment and show how it relates to police tactical and
undercover operations.
A. Entrapment
Class Discussion/Activity:
Entrapment is a major concern in vice operations. What steps can undercover operatives take to
avoid being accused of it?
1. Inducing an individual to violate a criminal statute he or she did not contemplate
violating, for the sole purpose of arrest and criminal prosecution
2. Entrapment is an affirmative defense and is based on the principle that people
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1. How does one become a detective?
Generally speaking, one must first work as a patrol officer for a number of years. The number of
2. How does retroactive investigation of past crimes work?
In the past, retroactive investigation of past crimes was done solely by detectives. Before the
Rand Corporation’s study in 1975, the common protocol for retroactive investigation of crimes
3. Detectives are portrayed in the media as the elite of the police department. Is there
anything to this detective mystique?
There is! Detectives have a certain mystique about them. They work in plainclothes and
4. Discuss drug undercover investigations.
Drug enforcement is a priority in law enforcement and a vital part of the law enforcement
mission. Drugs contribute to a myriad of social problems and quality-of-life issues in
communities. There is a strong correlation between drugs and criminal activity and acts of
5. What is entrapment?
Entrapment is defined as inducing an individual to commit a crime he or she did not
contemplate, for the sole purpose of instituting a criminal prosecution against the offender.
Key Terms
cold-case squads Investigative units that reexamine old cases that have remained unsolved.
They use the passage of time coupled with a fresh set of eyes to help solve cases that have been
stagnant for years and often decades. (p. 319)
crime analysis The use of analytical methods to obtain pertinent information on crime patterns
and trends that can then be disseminated to officers on the street. (p. 310)
cybercrime Criminal activity involving computers and networks, ranging from fraud to viruses
to infiltrating networks or sites to obtain personal information for identity theft or to shut systems
decoy operations Operations in which officers dress as and play the role of potential victims in
the hope of attracting and catching a criminal. (p. 321)
detective mystique The idea that detective work is glamorous, exciting, and dangerous, as it is
depicted in the movies and on television. (p. 308)
entrapment A legal defense that holds that police originated the criminal idea or initiated the
field notes The brief written record made by an officer from the time of arrival on a scene until
incident report The first written investigative report of a crime, usually compiled by the officer
conducting the preliminary investigation. (p. 306)
intelligence-led policing Using data analysis and other intelligence to focus police efforts on
investigative task forces A group of investigators working together to investigate one or more
crimes. These investigators are often from different law enforcement agencies. (p. 312)
Managing Criminal Investigations (MCI) Proposal recommended by the Rand study (research
funded by the LEAA) regarding a more effective way of investigating crimes, including allowing
patrol officers to follow up cases and using solvability factors in determining which cases to
mentoring Filling a role as teacher, model, motivator, coach, or advisor in someone else’s
professional growth. (p. 310)
repeat offender programs (ROPs) Enforcement efforts directed at known repeat offenders
through surveillance or case enhancement. (p. 314)
solvability factors Factors considered in determining whether or not a case should be assigned
stakeout The hidden surveillance of a location or person. (p. 321)
sting operations Undercover police operations in which police pose as criminals to arrest law
undercover investigation A covert investigation involving plainclothes officers. (p. 324)
Assignments
1. Using the Internet, research the role of detectives in the investigation process. How does
the detective role differ from agency to agency? In what ways is the role similar in all
2. Using the Internet, research at least 10 states to see what the qualifications are for
becoming a detective with the state police agency. Compile a list of the most common
3. Research crime analyst jobs. Where and in what types of agencies are those jobs located?
What are the education requirements and responsibilities for this job? What growth
4. Cold-case squads have become extremely popular. Find out if your city has a cold-case
squad and, if so, its rate of success. If your city does not have one, find one in a city near
you and determine its rate of success. What factors seem to contribute to its high or low
rate of success? [LO 4]
5. Using the Internet, research law enforcement cybercrime prevention programs. Note
