Investigations

The General Investigations Section is staffed by a lieutenant, two sergeants, 11 investigators, a deputy responsible for sex offender registration, and three sheriff’s services technicians.  The section handles complex cases requiring extensive, time intensive follow up or follow up outside of Larimer County.  Investigators do not typically initiate cases on their own, rather, cases are assigned by the unit sergeants and are usually referrals from LCSO patrol deputies, other law enforcement agencies, or the Department of Human Services.  On average, the section clears approximately 200 cases per year and manages approximately 300 registered sex offenders.

The Crimes Against Persons Unit is led by a sergeant and staffed with five investigators.  The cases handled by this unit generally include: physical assaults, sexual assaults, kidnappings, internet luring, and homicides.  The age of the victim does not matter as this unit investigates crimes against both children and adults.  An investigator from this unit represents the Sheriff’s Office at the local Human Trafficking Working Group and another investigator represents the Sheriff’s Office as an Internet Crimes Against Children team member.

The Crimes Against Property Unit is led by a sergeant and staffed with six investigators.  The cases handled by this unit generally include: arson, burglary, robbery, theft, and trespass cases.  An investigator from this unit represents the Sheriff’s Office at the Regional Auto Theft Task Force and another represents the Sheriff’s Office at the Northern Colorado Financial Crimes Task Force.  

The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office Crime Lab and Evidence Unit is part of the Investigations Division and is comprised of four full-time lab personnel, as well as two full-time evidence custodians.  In addition to in-house storing and processing of evidence, our personnel contribute professional resources to the Northern Colorado Regional Forensic Lab.  Our lab personnel are also part of the Critical Incident Response Team for the 8th Judicial District and are involved in the investigations of critical officer-involved incidents.

The duties of the LCSO lab personnel include responding to scenes in order to document the scene, process the scene, and collect evidence.  Lab personnel may be required and are trained to utilize specialized techniques such as bloodstain pattern analysis and shooting reconstruction techniques to reconstruct the events that may have occurred at a scene.  In addition to traditional photography, members of our lab personnel are trained to use cutting-edge technology such as 3-D laser scanning and aerial pictometry (drones) to assist in accurate and detailed documentation of scenes.  In-house, lab personnel also utilize various laboratory techniques to identify and recover fingerprints and potential sources of DNA.  Two of our four lab personnel are based out of the Northern Colorado Regional Forensic lab where they complete casework in their respective specialties for agencies throughout Northern Colorado.

Our two full-time evidence custodians maintain detailed records and are responsible for over 20,000 pieces of evidence.  Our evidence personnel ensure that items are packaged and sealed properly prior to logging them into our digital database.  Additionally, these individuals are responsible for coordinating the return of recovered property and fulfilling court orders for the destruction of dangerous substances and various other items.  Evidence personnel also work as liaisons with the Northern Colorado Regional Forensic Lab to transport items for processing that cannot be done in-house.

The Criminal Impact Unit is comprised of one sergeant, two investigators, and two patrol deputies assigned to the Investigations Division.  The mission of the unit is to assist the Investigations, Patrol, and Jail divisions with non-traditional investigations.  These include fugitive apprehension, human trafficking investigations, covert surveillance, street-level criminal interdiction, assisting patrol with identified problem areas, assisting the jail with introduction of contraband investigations, and assisting the Northern Colorado Drug Task Force.