What states have dedicated departments of Investigation?

[SKi]

Just curious:

I know Kansas (KBI), Georgia (GBI), Tenneesee (TBI), South Carolina (SLED), and Florida (FDLE) have seperate agencies that deal exclusively with "plainclothes" criminal investigatons. What other suchstates/agencies exist and what are their hiring practices/processes.

Here in Missouri, the Highway Patrol has been very successful in thwarting any efforts for a "MBI" the last ten-fifiteen years, and it sure doesn't help the fragmented investigations on the Missouri side of the metro St. Louis area where over 100 seperate police departments exist. Homicides in smaller suburban communites are often handled by the Greater St. Louis Major Case Squad, but any other type of investigation that crosses city/county limits is often a crap shoot.

Ski

[Bravo8]

In Pennsylvania, we have both the Distrcit Attorney's Office on the county level, and the Attorney General's Office on the state level. Both are prosecutor's offices, but have detectives that do plainclothes investigations and some UC work. As for hiring practices, I really couldn't tell ya.

[HB]

I am originally from Oklahoma, and they have the OSBI (Okla. State Bureau of Investigation). Also they did have the Okla. Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs - probably still do. Not sure about hiring practices and requirements.

[id1811xecj]

In Idaho, we used to have plainclothes Special Agents of the Idaho Department of Law Enforcement. Last year they merged with the Idaho State Police and became five regional and one HQ Investigative Divisions.

[nsedet]

The Iowa Department of Public Safety is not an exclusively investigative agency--it includes uniformed highway patrol troopers and capitol police--but they do have investigative divisions (narcotics, general crimes, arson) which are separate from the uniform agencies. The hiring process and the academy are the same for all positions, but you can be hired directly into a Special Agent position.

California has a separate criminal investigation agency in its State Department of Justice, which falls under the Attorney General. The state also has peace officers (special investigators) in almost all state agencies (Dept. of Insurance, Health Services, etc.). Most agencies, including DOJ, have specific requirements, but do fill positions at the trainee level. Some have written exams, some just rate your background; all of them have oral boards, backgrounds, physical, etc. I believe the CA special investigators academy is 16 weeks long at present.

Ohio has special agents in its Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI & I), which is also under the state AG. Small agency, I believe, and you need experience in criminal investigations (they had recent announcement which specified at a minimum a four-year degree and two years full-time criminal investigative experience, or six years experience).

Oregon also has criminal investigators in its state Department of Justice (again, part of the AG's office). They had an announcement about a month ago, specified 5 years criminal investigative experience.

Most states have investigators in one form or another. Here in WA as an example, where there is no "state bureau of investigation" or remotely similar agency, there are still commissioned agents employed within the state Liquor Control Board, Gambling Commission, and Attorney General's Office (and probably other agencies).

[KA12345]

Ski,

Missouri Highway Patrol's DDCC (Division of Drug and Crime Control) investigator's work in the exact same capacity as any other state investigative agency. There are investigator's that work everything from drugs, organized crime, to public corruption. I don't see how a Bureau of Investigation would help any municipality in St. Louis or any other area of the state. Regardless of the type of State Investigative unit there is the City or County must request assistance from the State. Of course the Patrol will be reluctant to give their investigative assests, I think any state would. Also, there are Trooper's assigned to the St. Louis major case squad.

K

[CustomsCop]

In Pa. we used to have what was called BNI (Bureau of Narcotics Investigation). It was pretty much disbanded because down here in Philly they were locking up guys and planting drugs on them. It was mainly a task force made up of State police, Philly pd and a few other agencies..

[SKi]

Thanks for the great replies!

It was a poorly worded question...I was mainly interested in agencies that are not part of the state police/highway patrol and that initate it's own investigations. For some reason, I digresed into bemoaning the state of law enforcement in the St. Louiss area. The number and size of agencies in the metro area is staggering and becomes quite frustrating when working something. Plus, there are like million "task forces", "meg units", etc... I think there are at least three "task forces" for every one dope dealer :) St. Louis is a fairly unique situation compared to other areas of the state...I think there are 95 municipalities in St. Louis County alone with most of them having their own PDs.

KA12345, I have two friends in DDCC in the bootheel. Like you said, I was pretty much under the impression that DDCC would "assist" when asked, that's it for the most part (except maybe dope). I know there are other states whose agencies generate "original" work, so to speak.

Thanks again everyone and stay safe!

Ski

[CTMarshal999]

In Connecticut there is the Chief States Attorny's office.

The Inspectors are fully empowered peace officers whose primary mission is the investigation of any criminal matter assigned by the Chief States Attorney.

They investigate everything from welfare fraud to fugitives.

They are basically the same as the AG's office in other states.

Great bunch of guys and gals, very good, all ex-city/state cops.

[srosibley]

I don't know if any one else mentioned it but North Carolina has the N.C.B.I. I remember them coming to recruit at my HS during the job fairs. Stay Safe.

[nsedet]

Originally posted by srosibley
I don't know if any one else mentioned it but North Carolina has the N.C.B.I. I remember them coming to recruit at my HS during the job fairs. Stay Safe.

I believe they actually refer to themselves as SBI (State Bureau of Investigation), at least this is what I've gathered from their website and the NC cops I have talked to.

[Badge11]

Colorado has the CBI, Colorado Bureau of Investigation. CBI falls under the Colorado Dept of Public Safety.
The CBI has a major crimes unit which assists local agencies in investigations at their request. They can only respond to investigate at the request from a local agency, Sheriff, DA's office, or as directed by the Govenor.

Some of the other CBI units (from the CBI website):

CCIC
Colorado Crime Information Center is a computerized information system established as a service to all criminal justice agencies.

Gaming
Conducts investigations pertaining to violations of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act, including persons and or organizations attempting to illegally infiltrate and impact Colorado's legalized gaming industry.

Identification
To support federal, state and local law enforcement agencies by identifying individuals through the use of Automated Fingerprint Identification System.

Information Technology
Enable Colorado's Criminal Justice Community to deliver the most effective and efficient law enforcement services possible through the intelligent application of information technology and program support.
InstaCheck

Intelligence
Collect, analyze and disseminate information on the criminal activities of organized crime groups, emerging criminal groups, public disorder and terrorist groups, threats to public officials or private citizens, and officials involved in public corruption.

Major Crimes
The CBI provides criminal investigative support to Law Enforcement agencies within the state of Colorado. The Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS) enables the CBI to prevent, detect and investigate criminal activity throughout the state.

Laboratory
Provide forensic analytic assistance to law enforcement agencies throughout Colorado and includes satellite laboratories in Montrose and Pueblo.

Missing Persons
Assist local and state law enforcement agencies in locating missing persons by collecting, compiling and disseminating information.

[srosibley]

I stand corrected. Stay Safe.

[mudkicker91]

Here in North Carolina we have the Highway Patrol (Who are basically overrated meter maids) and the seperate entity, the N.C. S.B.I. They are plain clothes agents and do all of the investigations state wide. They also assist police departments around the state.