A modern police department includes numerous units, involved into different activities performing day-to-day duties. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the role of each unit, the role of which is critical in creating of an intra-agency and enter-agency task force. This task force must be able to fight an increase in violent crime (homicide, sexual assault and robbery) with some gang and drug relates connections which have been the subject of public, political and community demand for action.
The goal is to determine six departmental units that will constitute the main core of the task force. In addition, four other units are to be discussed in order to see why their role is not that critical to be included into the task force. It should be noted that the list of units is taken from the actual Metropolitan Police Department of District of Columbia (MPDC.dc.gov, 2012).
Considering the nature of the crimes to be fought by this task force, it is necessary to determine the particular units and agencies that should be involved into the project. Thus, homicides should be managed by Major Case Victims Unit. In addition, due to the fact that gangs and organized crime are the main focus of the future task force, it is utterly important to include Firearms and Fingerprint Examination Division. Evidence Control Division will control the process of evidence examination and storage, which is utterly important for the related cases.
Then, Sex Assault Unit must be the part of the new task force as well as a S.W.A.T. team. Finally, Bomb/Hazardous Devices Unit should be included as well due to the increased number of cases involving explosive materials and their potential use. In addition, it is necessary to include workgroup that should interconnect Drug Enforcement Administration and police units in the particular region (MPDC.dc.gov, 2012; Columbiatn.com, 2012).
The Major Case Victims Unit (MCVU) is responsible for unresolved homicides and violent felony offences. It is an utterly important part of the future task force due to the obvious increase of the number of such crimes in the region. It will work on all types of homicides, involving violent offences. The unit should provide other units with operative information regarding the current situation in each case.
The Firearms and Fingerprint Examination Division is “to provide administrative support and oversee the effective and efficient operation of the Firearms Examination Section, Latent Fingerprint Section, and Automated Fingerprint Identification Section.” (MPDC.dc.gov, 2012). This unit is needed to support investigations involving firearms and related crimes. It will provide information regarding the criminals’ identification and their relation to each particular case of registered and unregistered firearms use.
The Evidence Control Division will be responsible for storing and controlling the evidence in possession of the investigation team. The unit is necessary to be included into the task force to make everything relevant to the investigated cases under control and untouched by unauthorized parties. It is necessary to assure in order to avoid compromising evidence and losing the cases in court …