The Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Unit investigates all serious crimes and matters of special concern. The Unit handles all felony crimes, death investigations, domestic incidents that involve felonies, missing person reports, internal investigations, and employee background checks for all employees and contracted workers within the agency. The Unit also provides assistance to local police agencies and fire departments in Oneida County, including the cities, villages and towns. The Criminal Investigation Unit encompasses the Investigations Section, Warrants Section, Backgrounds Section and Forensics Section.
The Criminal Investigation Unit is directed by a Lieutenant and three Sergeants, and manned by a number of Investigators. Investigators are selected from the ranks of Uniform Deputy Sheriffs. To become an Investigator, a Deputy Sheriff must have a minimum amount of on the job experience, must display an above average knowledge of the law and its process, and must have a proven ability to initialize, document and conclude an investigation. An Investigator works all shifts, weekends and holidays and is subject to callback at any time.
Criminal Investigation Unit Investigators work closely with many local, state and federal agencies in addition to the county's city, village and town police agencies:
- Oneida County District Attorney's Office
- Oneida County Probation Department
- Mohawk Valley Crime Analysis Center
- New York State Department of Correctional Services
- New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control,
- New York State Parole
- New York State Police
- ATF
- DEA
- FBI
- US Marshals Service
The relationships formed with these agencies aid the Unit in successful case investigation, closure and prosecution; which ultimately leads to conviction and appropriate penalties for criminal offenders.
The Unit also has ties with the Federal Terrorism Task Force in Syracuse, New York, and is part of the Homeland Security Network for Oneida, Madison and Herkimer counties. These partnerships developed as a response to the 9-11 terrorist attacks, and the partnerships have proved instrumental in providing a smooth flow of important information from the federal level to the local level.
Additional information on Criminal Investigation Unit sections and functions can be accessed from the menu to the left.
