The Detective Division serves the citizens of our community by performing
the follow-up investigative function for offenses reported to the
department. Detectives are responsible for investigating and prepping
misdemeanor and felony cases to be presented to the District Attorney's
office for prosecution. Although the Division remains perpetually
understaffed, detectives continue to maintain average clearance
rates.
Two-full time Detectives staff our Detective Division. Detectives
Jose Rizo and David Lopez are veteran members of the department
and have been assigned to the division for the last two years. Both
detectives work eight hours shifts Monday through Friday and are
off on weekends and holidays. The two Detectives rotate on call
status in order to remain available 24-hours a day to respond to
emergency incidents.
 |
| Detectives David Lopez
and Jose Rizo. |
Each detective is assigned unmarked vehicles, a 1995 Chevy Lumina
with over 70,552 miles and a 2003 Chevy Impala with 10,552 miles.
Both units are equipped with radio communications, emergency lights
and siren, and crime scene evidence collection kits.
The Detective Division was assigned 650 cases this year compared
to 689 cases in 2002. Each detective, on average, is assigned approximately
25 new cases per month. The Detectives cleared approximately 159
cases or 25% of all cases reported.
The patrol supervisors
assign cases. Once the patrol officer takes the initial report,
that case is forwarded to one of two sergeants for review and approval.
Once approved, cases that require additional investigation are assigned
to a detective for follow-up investigation.
Before cases are assigned and investigated, they are reviewed to
determine the solvability of the case. What is the likelihood of
the case being solved? Misdemeanor offenses that have no witnesses
or evidence are generally suspended. This allows our detectives
additional time to focus on major crimes, or other cases that have
a good chance of being solved. Cases with very little information
and with little chance of an arrest are generally suspended within
30-days of being reported.
Detectives require specialized training in areas of crime scene
search, interviews and interrogations, evidence collection and preservation.
Our detectives work closely with the patrol officers in order to
gather intelligence information from street informants and other
sources.
On top of their investigative responsibilities, our detectives are
assigned to maintain the department's evidence and property room.
Evidence and property collected by patrol officers must be cataloged
and maintained in a secured evidence room. Detectives will sometimes
process evidence for patrol officers, or transport the evidence
to the crime laboratory for further analysis if necessary. Detectives
must also obtain court orders for the destruction of evidence that
is no longer needed or for the sale of lost or abandoned property.
 |
| Detectives Rizo and Lopez
entering information about a case. |
 |
| Detective Division Total
Cases for 2001- 2003 |
City
of Bastrop Police Dept.:
104
Grady Tuck Lane
P.O. Box 427
Bastrop, Texas 78602
Phone:
512-321-5550
Fax: 512-321-2062
