• Conducting in-depth criminal investigations
• Tracking criminal trends and events
• Ensuring criminal prosecution
• Preventing future crimes

After a crime, usually a patrol officer takes an initial report. Detectives take over the investigation afterward.MVPD detectives are crossed-trained in robbery, sexual assault, homicide, forgery and property crime investigations.

The Investigative Services Division is divided into 3 units:

Crimes Against Persons Unit
Specialists in this unit focus on violent crimes, including crimes against children, domestic violence, sexual assault, homicide and robbery.

Property & Financial Crimes Unit
This unit handles burglaries, auto thefts and financial crimes. Our investigators work with regional task forces, including one devoted to auto theft and one for high-technology crimes. We have found that working together with local, state and federal officers is a beneficial use of limited resources, and helps to solve challenging types of crimes.

Specialized Suppression Unit
Investigators in this unit handle special enforcement projects such as narcotics, vice, intelligence and covert operations. They also assist in major investigative cases.

2005 Highlights
Following are some of the important cases we solved in 2005.

2005 Homicide: Nocomes Noel III
On August 21, shortly after the end of the KMEL Summer Jam Concert, MVPD dispatchers radioed a call of shots fired at the intersection of Old Middlefield Way and Rengstorff Avenue. Police officers arrived at the location within seconds. The victim, Nocomes Noel III, had been shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives and the Field Evidence Team were called out to assist with the crime scene.

During our investigation, detectives located a majority of the witnesses. By September 9, we had gathered enough evidence to issue an arrest warrant for Kevin Sayers. Approximately three hours after we entered the warrant into the national warrants database, the Tucson Arizona Police Department notified us that they had Sayers in custody. Our detectives flew to Arizona to take custody of the suspect and deliver him to Santa Clara County Jail.

1988 Homicide: Gretchen Burford
Burford, a Santa Clara County attorney, was murdered after being accosted at an ATM. Despite being profiled on the TV show, Unsolved Mysteries, the case remained unsolved until 2005.

In 2005, our investigators teamed up with the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Cold Case Unit to review the facts and evidence. DNA evidence led investigators to Tyrone Hamel, who was serving two life sentences for rape and robbery, in Fort Worth, Texas. Investigators traveled to Texas to interview Hamel. Based on this new evidence, the District Attorney charged Hamel with Gretchen Burford's murder. We are extraditing Hamel to California to face homicide charges.

1995 Sexual Assault
In September 1995, a male suspect entered a residence through an unlocked sliding glass door and brutally raped a woman in her home. We collected DNA samples, which remained unmatched, and pursued several leads, but were unable to solve the case.

.In 2005, working again with the District Attorney's Cold Case Unit, we were able to match the DNA to a convicted felon, currently living in Redwood City. We booked the suspect into Santa Clara County Jail, where he is currently awaiting trial.

2006 Highlights
The victim reported that someone had drugged her at a local nightclub and then raped her.  Detectives conducted an intensive investigation and quickly ID'd a possible suspect.  Surveillance and a subsequent search warrant resulted in the arrest of the suspect.

An elderly woman alone at home was the victim of a home invasion robbery.The suspect tied the woman up and fled in her vehicle. The car was found a few blocks away. Evidence collected led Detectives to the suspect, who was already in custody for unrelated charges.


2005 Highlight
Days after a homicide at a summer concert, Detectives gather enough probable cause and issue an arrest warrant for the suspect, who is soon captured in Arizona. 



To Follow-up On An Investigation
Chandra Kooner
650/903-6348

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