Detective Bureau

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The Detective Bureau investigates a wide range of crimes, including crimes against persons, burglary, fraud, identity theft, narcotics violations, juvenile offenses, and a host of others. The Detective Bureau conducts follow-up investigations and prepares cases for court prosecutors to deliver justice to crime victims. The Special Enforcement Team (SET), which focuses on operations such as vice, narcotics, gangs, and surveillance, is also under the Detective Bureau.

Crimes Against Property

 Crimes (not limited to):

  • All property related crimes,
  • Arson,
  • Burglary (Residential, Commercial, and Vehicle),
  • Grand/Petty Theft,
  • Grand Theft Auto,
  • Trespassing,
  • Vandalism,

The detective investigative process for criminal investigations begins when the initial investigative information is received from the police officer within the police department’s patrol bureau who made the initial report of the crime.  The investigations involve examining the cases to determine if there are viable suspect(s) or information that may lead to a viable suspect(s) being identified and arrested.

Duties & Responsibilities:

  • Evaluating each case for any viable leads, fingerprints, eyewitnesses, DNA evidence, surveillance video footage, etc.,
  • Conduct an extensive follow-up investigation,
  • Interview victim(s) and any witnesses,
  • Gather any additional facts and collect evidence,
  • Determine if people involved and information provided are credible,
  • Examine records,
  • Conduct surveillance on suspect(s),
  • Interview/interrogate suspect(s),
  • Participate in search warrants,
  • Apprehend suspects,
  • Write detailed reports on findings,
  • Testify in court,
  • Maintain a strong liaisons with other local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to widen the scope of the investigation and identify suspect(s),
  • Maintain a good working relationship with the local District Attorney’s Office,
  • Assist other detectives with their investigations,

Special Victim’s Unit

The Special Victim’s Unit, also known as SVU, are tasked with numerous assignments/duties which consist of, but is not limited to:

  • Elder Abuse: Investigate, follow up any allegations of Elder/Dependent Adult crimes. Also work closely with Adult Protective Services.
  • Missing persons: Investigate, locate missing persons, create and distribute missing person flyers.
  • Juvenile investigations: Juvenile arrests, juvenile crimes, and submitting juvenile filing packets to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
  • Domestic Violence: Investigate domestic violence crimes, conduct follow-up investigations, present cases to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, and serve or issue Emergency Protective Orders (also known as EPO’s).  They provide victims of domestic violence resources to help coup with hardships related to domestic violence.
  • Sex Crimes: Investigate and conduct follow-up investigations including, but not limited to sexual assaults; which include rape, statutory rape, sexual battery, child molestation, and or sending harmful material to minors.
  • San Gabriel Police Department collaborates with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) to investigate Internet Crimes Against Children. This collaboration involves a task force with multiple agencies also know as ICAC.
  • Sex Registrants: California Penal Code 290 requires mandatory registration for convicted sex, arson, and narcotic violators. The San Gabriel Police Department abides by CPC 290 requirements and provides annual registration for these registrants. They will also locate and prosecute registrants who fail to comply to these mandated requirements.

Crimes Against Persons 

The Crimes Against Persons Detective investigates any crimes related, but not limited to: 

  • Robbery, 
  • Criminal threats, 
  • Delaying and/or Obstructing a Police Officer, 
  • Restraining Order Violations, 
  • Annoying and Harassing Communication, 
  • Battery and Assault,  
  • Weapons Violations,  
  • Liaison to Los Angeles County Sheriff Department on all homicide investigations. 

Utilizing a number of techniques, the Crimes Against Persons Detective conducts follow-up investigations to crimes committed in the City of San Gabriel for the purpose of apprehending the offender(s).  Some of these techniques include, but is not limited to:

  • Interviewing victims, witnesses and possible suspects, 
  • Obtaining surveillance footage, 
  • Generating and disseminating crime bulletins to surrounding law enforcement agencies, 
  • Conducting surveillance,
  • Authoring and serving search warrants,
  • Assisting other detectives with their investigations,   
  • Evidence collection and processing, 
  • The assigned detective is responsible for writing up detailed reports of his/her findings,
  • The assigned detective also works closely with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office to help in the prosecution of the offenders by testifying in court when needed.  

Financial Crimes 

The financial crime detective investigates any crimes relating to identity theft, fraud, forgery, and online financial crimes. The assigned detective conducts follow-up investigation with victims and prepares cases for the local district attorney’s office to bring justice to the victims of financial crimes. The assigned detective composes court orders and search warrants to conduct follow-up with banks to further assist them with the investigation for the financial crime. The assigned detective works collaboratively with the United States Postal Inspector, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, US Secret Service, the Employment Development Department, and other law enforcement agencies to conduct further investigation of identity theft crimes, due to these types of crimes expanding from the local level to the international level. 

Additional Information: You have the right to a free credit report every year from credit reporting companies. To order your credit reports, go to Annual Credit Report.com - Home Page or call 1-877-322-8228. Check to see if there are any unusual activity or unauthorized transactions. Flag your credit reports by contacting Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion to ask for a fraud alert on your credit report if you are a victim of identity theft. 

To submit an Internet Crime Complaint with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, go to Internet Crime Complaint Center(IC3) | File a Complaint.

Special Enforcement Team (S.E.T.)

  • The S.E.T. unit is comprised of detective(s) assigned to specific caseloads involving all gang-related criminal activity, vice, narcotics, criminal intelligence, weapons and alcohol-related crimes and is supervised by a police sergeant and lieutenant. The unit works with county, state and federal law enforcement agencies.
  • Gang enforcement is conducted monthly enforcing operations and focusing on criminal gang activity, parolees, and those on active parole/PRCS/probation. 
  • The detective(s) works with sworn law enforcement personnel from county, state and federal agencies investigating and apprehending criminal suspects involved in narcotics trafficking. 
  • Detective(s) assist on gathering criminal intelligence data that is used to assist the Investigations Bureau, Field Services Bureau, and numerous outside law enforcement agencies.

As part of their function, S.E.T is responsible for the investigation of all felony and misdemeanor complaints that occur within their scope of duties. The Special Enforcement Team is the primary undercover and surveillance unit within the San Gabriel Police Department.  The Special Enforcement Team writes and serves search warrants, manages informants, and works local and major narcotics investigation with other local, state, and federal agencies.  Detective(s) apprehend, interrogate, and process all persons arrested for these offenses. They also act a liaison with the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office. 

The Special Enforcement Team also conducts vice enforcement and undercover operations targeting prostitution, pimping and pandering, and operating a house of ill-fame. Business compliance checks are also conducted to insure they are in compliance with the City of San Gabriel Ordinance and Conditional Use Permits. The Special Enforcement Team conducts investigations on crimes involving gambling and illegal slot machines.

Evidence & Property Technician 

The property and evidence technician processes all pieces of evidence that is collected during a scene of a crime.  This evidence is inventoried, logged, and stored in the property/evidence unit. All evidence/property goes as follows:

  • They are categorized by three different types; evidence, found, and safekeeping. 
  • Releasing and disposing all items pursuant to applicable law. 
  • Retain records to ensure that the chain of custody is maintained. 
  • All efforts are made to locate the owners of found property and upon receipt of disposition instructions from either investigators or the court, property is pulled for return, destruction, and auction.
  •  All persons requesting items for pick-up must do so by appointment only. Property is released on Monday- Thursday 7:00AM – 3:00PM.

All efforts are made to locate the owners of found property. For more information, contact the Evidence & Property Technician at (626) 308-2855.