INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES BUREAU
Special Investigations Division
Lieutenant Seth Herman commands the Special Investigations Division. Operating as a division within the Investigative Services Bureau, the Special Investigations Division currently consists of two separate units – Narcotics / Vice Unit and White Collar Crimes Unit. Each unit is tasked with the suppression and investigation of specific criminal acts – as well as providing assistance to other local, state and federal law enforcement agents in their individual operations throughout the region.
In addition to their roles as investigators, Division members serve as instructors for both the Midland Police Department and Permian Basin Law Enforcement Academy in a variety of disciplines, to include Defensive Tactics, Firearms Training, Special Weapons and Tactics, Pursuit Driving, Fraud Investigation, Narcotic Investigation Techniques, Stolen Vehicle Identification and Recovery, Physical Fitness, and Handwriting Analysis. These efforts not only assist department officials, but also allow members of local, state and federal agencies throughout the region to benefit from the experience and knowledge possessed by each officer within their respective area of expertise.
Narcotics/Vice Unit
Staffed by one sergeant and five investigators, one of whom is assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force, the Narcotics / Vice Unit is tasked with the investigation of crimes related to narcotics (production, trafficking, possession), organized crime, firearms violations, prostitution and gambling. Included within the scope of this group’s responsibilities are the execution of search and arrest warrants, seizure of money and property directly related to criminal activity, undercover operations, and the cultivation of confidential informants for use in controlled purchases of illicit narcotics, weapons and stolen goods.
As with all divisions within the Department, the Narcotics / Vice Unit maintains a close working relationship with area law enforcement agencies (city, county, state and federal) – often providing assistance as undercover operatives, surveillance personnel, and warrant execution team members. This cohesion insures that investigations are conducted with the utmost efficiency – utilizing all available resources to combat the “War on Drugs.”
WHITE COLLAR CRIMES UNIT
Charged with investigating financial crimes such as credit card fraud, check forgery, money scams, counterfeiting and embezzlement, the White Collar Crimes Unit consists of one sergeant and three officers – each possessing over twenty years of law enforcement experience. Due to the complexity of such investigations, detectives are forced to devote a minimum of fifty hours to each case – pouring through financial records, handwriting comparisons, computer hard-drives, suspect photographs and bank statements simply to establish the validity of an allegation. As would be expected, such crimes more often than not, involve the theft of property and cash valued in the six-figure range. This loss, however, can pale in comparison to the problems associated with collapsed credit experienced by the victims of such crimes.
With the explosion of the Internet, the complexity associated with investigating such crimes has increased at an almost overwhelming rate. In pursuit of this ever-evolving trend, White Collar Crimes Unit members have focused considerable effort on educating the public through service announcements, training seminars and news reports - outlining various ways to avoid victimization. In addition to public awareness, detectives consistently assist F.B.I. and Secret Service agents by aggressively pursuing suspects throughout the nation, as well as on an international scale.
Auto Theft
In addition to managing three financial crimes investigators, the White Collar Crimes Unit sergeant also supervises the Midland Police Department detective assigned to the Midessa Auto Theft Task Force. This officer is charged with investigating auto thefts throughout six surrounding counties – to include all those occurring within the City of Midland. These duties not only include surveillance operations, stolen vehicle recoveries and suspect apprehensions, but also involve multi-agency checkpoint projects along the U.S. – Mexico border. These efforts, combined with public awareness presentations help to decrease the number of vehicles stolen each year throughout the Permian Basin.
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