Investigations

The Greenville Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division has three investigative sections: Crimes Against Persons, Family Crimes, and Property Crimes. Each section consists of specialized units that investigate crimes related to their expertise. Personnel assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division include sworn detectives and civilian assistants.

The primary function of the Criminal Investigations Division is to conduct follow-up investigations of reported crimes. These investigations consist of interviewing suspects, victims, and witnesses; analyzing information for validity, reliability, and accuracy; and compiling a comprehensive and factual case file to be presented in court. Detectives are selected through a formal process and receive additional investigative training as a result of their assignment.

Crimes Against Persons

The Crimes Against Persons Unit is responsible for the follow-up investigation of the following crimes: homicide, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, sexual battery, robbery, and kidnapping.

Family Crimes

The Family Crimes Unit is responsible for the follow-up investigation of any crimes involving juveniles and aggravated domestic violence cases.

Property Crimes

The Property Crimes Unit is responsible for the follow-up of criminal investigations of reported burglaries, autobreakings, grand larcenies, and white collar crimes. The unit is also responsible for tracking pawn transactions.

Victim Advocates

The Greenville Police Department has two victim advocates, whose job is to ensure that each victim and/or witness of criminal offenses that occur in the city of Greenville is provided their constitutional rights as established by SC legislation S.616, known as the "Victim’s Bill of Rights." They also explain, support, encourage, and consolidate resources to help minimize the psychological, physical, financial, and emotional effects on crime victims. This unit can be a great resource for crime victims or witnesses. If you need more information about services provided by the victim advocates, contact Rita Wearbon at 864-467-5373 or Eia Richardson at 864-461-5508.

U.S. Marshals Task Force Member

The Greenville Police Department partners with the U.S. Marshals Service local task force and dedicates a member of the department to operate with other local agencies in South Carolina. The U.S. Marshals Service oversees the nation’s regional fugitive task forces established under the Presidential Threat Protection Act of 2000. The purpose of the regional task forces is to combine the efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate and apprehend the most dangerous fugitives and assist in high profile investigations.

DEA Task Force Member

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is charged with the enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act as well as investigation of the highest level of domestic and international narcotics traffickers. Established in 1973, this anti-drug agency combined the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (BNDD) and U.S. Customs’ drug agents to provide exclusive enforcement of federal drug laws. With the direct cooperation of our state and local partners, the creation of the task force program is one of the most productive ways that DEA enforces these laws. We also have a dedicated member of our staff on the local DEA task force for South Carolina.

FBI Gang Task Force Member

The Upstate Violent Gangs Safe Street Task Force (UVGSSTF) is comprised of multiple federal, state, and local agencies from the Upstate, including the Greenville Police Department, and operates out of the FBI’s Greenville office. The mission of the UVGSSTF is to disrupt and dismantle the most violent gangs in the Upstate, and to assist in a regional effort to address nationally recognized criminal syndicates. The task force, working in conjunction with the United States Attorney’s Office, utilizes a wide array of federal violations to effectively target all aspects of the gang threat, ranging from violent offenses to more sophisticated white collar crimes.

Investigations Contact:

Lt. James Lee Wood: 864-467-5379
Sergeant Larry Moody (Crimes Against Persons): 864-467-5034
Sergeant Corey Kellett (Property Crimes): 864-467-4386
Sergeant Mike Estes (Family Crimes): 864-467-6675