Criminal Investigations Bureau
The mission of the units that comprise the Criminal Investigations Bureau is to provide investigative, technical and specialized expert assistance within the Division of State Police, as well as our partners in federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
Criminal Investigations Bureau
609-882-2000 Ext. 2444
Major Crime North and Major Crime South Units
(609) 882-2000 ext 2538
H640@njsp.gov - Major Crime North Unit
H650@njsp.gov - Major Crime South Unit
Detectives assigned to this unit investigate police officer involved shootings, homicides, suspicious deaths, kidnappings, and other serious crimes which warrant the expertise of its highly trained personnel. Unit members routinely assist federal, state, county and local authorities in cooperative investigations, resulting in the solution of homicides which might ordinarily go unsolved. Unit members are also tasked with assisting and forming cooperative investigative partnerships with national and international authorities.
The Major Crime Units receives numerous out of state and federal requests for assistance in homicide investigations with New Jersey connections. Unit members are experienced in conducting complex, large scale investigations and managing and coordinating the investigative efforts with other law enforcement agencies. The Major Crime Units provide lectures and training in the proper care and evaluation of crime scenes, evidence handling, case management, guidance at autopsies, and assurance that all medico-legal aspects of an investigation are covered.
As a component of the State of New Jersey Attorney General's Shooting Response Team, the Major Crime Units have significant expertise in the investigation of deadly force incidents involving police officers. The Units provides resources and expertise for all investigations of shootings involving serious injury or death to or by a State Police member or a member of a County Prosecutor's Office. The Units have developed an expertise in deadly force issues through its continual training and investigative experience. The Major Crime Units conduct an annual Advanced Homicide Investigation Seminar at Princeton University which draws investigators and prosecuting attorneys from throughout the United States and Canada. The New Jersey State Police Major Crime Units Advanced Homicide Seminar provides training in the medico-legal aspects of a homicide investigation and the most modern scientific techniques available to the homicide investigator. The networking of investigators that has developed as a result of this seminar has had a positive impact on the efficiency of homicide investigations statewide, and the seminar has become the one of the premier homicide schools in the United States.
Cold Case Unit
The Cold Case Unit aims to review unsolved homicide investigations, unresolved suspicious deaths, long term missing person(s) investigations with suspicious circumstances, and unsolved sexual assault investigations to ensure a complete and thorough accounting of all documentation pertaining to the investigation is accounted for and maintained. Once accurately accounted for, all investigations will be reviewed to ensure all possible investigative leads have been identified and investigated in a manner that meets current standards and best practices. Once actionable leads are developed a case management approach will be utilized in order to bring any viable case to a successful conclusion. The Cold Case Unit will establish partnerships with state, local, county, interstate and federal agencies to share information across jurisdictional lines to identify patterns and trends in unsolved major crime investigations across the State of New Jersey and the United States.
