NCJ Number
179752
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 47 Issue: 10 Dated: October 1999 Pages: 127-130
Date Published
1999
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The experience of the Cold Case Squad of the Metro-Dade Police Department in Florida and similar police groups in other police agencies suggests the usefulness of this approach for dealing with longstanding homicide cases and other old cases.
Abstract
The Metro-Dade team was formed from some of the Homicide Section's most experienced detectives from the regular squads. It solved 110 homicides in its first 10 years. The squad members review case files, compare notes, compile a new lead sheet, and start following leads. It is helpful to have the local prosecutor's office assign a prosecutor as a cold case liaison or something similar. The squad members should be unencumbered by other cases, by shift changes, and by the normal flow of distractions and obstacles experienced by the regular rotation squads. The Metro-Dade squad handles local cases and helps out-of-town detectives who are conducting investigations of their own. They are also responsible for handling cases in which convicted defendants have won appeals and have been granting new sentencing hearings or trials. Cold case squads often receive favorable media coverage for closing a case after a lengthy time period. Cold case squads operate in many major cities and in local, State, and Federal agencies. Many agencies have websites with photos of wanted suspects, escaped prisoners, and early releases. Photograph