The Investigative Division offers many services and consists of the Detective Bureau, the Narcotics unit, the Specialized Criminal Apprehension Team, the Traffic Safety Bureau, the Youth Bureau, the Polygraph unit, and the Crime Lab. These units work closely together to ensure that all criminal investigations are carried out promptly, efficiently, and most importantly effectively.

Commander Thomas Teefey

Detective Bureau

The Detective Bureau is currently made up of one Commander, three Lieutenants, one Youth Bureau Sergeant, ten Detective Sergeants, and seven Investigative Corporals. The Detective Bureau is the investigative arm of the Police Department. All preliminary complaint reports are referred to the Detective Bureau for review and evaluation. Once reviewed, each case requiring further police attention or additional investigation is assigned to a specific Detective Sergeant, or Investigator, depending upon the nature of the investigation or crime.

The Detective Bureau is responsible for handling all aspects of the criminal investigation. The investigation begins with the initial complaint and then progresses through various steps until the prosecution phase is reached. During the investigative process Detective Sergeants and Investigators may; interview witnesses, interrogate suspects, collect/review evidence, submit warrant requests, handle extradition’s, draft search warrants, prepare for trial and provide investigative/intelligence support to other Law Enforcement Agencies.

In addition to handling routine investigations, many detectives/investigators are trained and have experience is several specialized fields. With this specialized expertise the Detective Bureau is able to conduct the highest caliber criminal investigations possible. These specialties include:

• Homicide
• Armed robbery/breaking and entering teams
• Polygraph section
• Arson and fraud
• Domestic violence
• Sex crimes
• Computer crimes

Narcotics Bureau

The Narcotics Bureau is responsible for the enforcement of narcotics laws, the processing of narcotics evidence, and the investigation of narcotics related cases. The Narcotics Bureau also works closely with State, Federal, and other local agencies to prevent the sale, use and manufacture of illegal narcotics throughout the Metro Detroit area.

Specialized Criminal Apprehension Team

The Special Operations Unit is a plainclothes surveillance team that gathers intelligence, monitors criminal activity, and studies pattern crime. The unit initiates covert operations designed to capture perpetrators involved in home invasions, armed robberies, bank robberies, purse snatchings, auto theft, vehicle larcenies, frauds and scams, and prostitution. The unit is committed to addressing “Quality of Life” issues throughout the city.

Traffic Safety Bureau

The Traffic Safety Bureau is responsible monitoring traffic and accident patterns and for developing comprehensive traffic safety programs to enhance public safety. The Traffic Safety Bureau also works in conjunction with the City of Dearborn and Wayne County Highways Departments  in order to maintain all of traffic control devices, such as signal lights, street signs, and traffic signals, etc., throughout the city. The unit also reviews accident data, investigates serious accidents resulting in injury or death, seeks warrants for traffic related crimes, handles miscellaneous parking and traffic complaints, maintains the Preliminary Breath Test (PBT) units, and places Selective Enforcement Officer's at specified spots to enforce the traffic laws.

Polygraph Operations

The Polygraph unit is comprised of two State Licensed Polygraph Examiners. The Polygraph Unit is an integral part of the investigative mission and provides an invaluable tool in the criminal investigations arena. The polygraph is utilized to assist case investigators and prosecutors in determining the truthfulness of suspects and witnesses in both major and minor crimes. The unit has been responsible for obtaining countless admissions and has thus streamlined investigative burdens.  Conversely, the unit has cleared many suspects, allowing detectives to focus their energies more efficiently toward solving the case.  The Dearborn Police Polygraph Unit also provides assistance to the prosecutor’s office other police agencies in need of polygraph testing for critical case investigation.

Crime Laboratory  

The Crime Lab is responsible for all forensic investigations and for the positive identification of every prisoner that is processed through the department.  Crime Lab personnel process and examine evidence collected at crime scenes to aid in the identification and prosecution of suspects.  As expert forensic examiners, Crime Lab personnel also respond directly to major crime scenes in order to conduct blood spatter analysis, determine bullet trajectory, and process any trace evidence on site.

Being equipped with our own Automated Fingerprint Identification System (A.F.I.S), the Dearborn Police Department Crime Lab has the ability to compare fingerprints from crime scenes and arrested subjects against the Michigan State Police and FBI databases.  This enables our department to quickly and accurately process latent print evidence and identify unknown subjects.

Crime Lab personnel also provide evidence processing support for multiple local police agencies including Dearborn Heights, Garden City, Wayne, Inkster, Melvindale, Allen Park, and Lincoln Park in order to foster inter-agency cooperation and assist in solving multi-jurisdictional crimes.

 The Crime Lab also has a forensic artist who sketches suspects from descriptions given by witnesses or victims.


Domestic Violence Unit

The domestic violence unit has assigned to it two primary detectives.  These Detectives have received specialized training in Domestic Violence and Interviewing.  The detectives handle the majority of domestic complaint investigations. The Dearborn Police Detective Bureau also has a Domestic Violence Victims Advocate assigned to our department through First Step who available to respond to victims needs as they relate to domestic violence and sexual assault. The Advocate works in conjunction with police officers, detectives, prosecutors, judges and probation officers.  

Victim Advocacy Program  

A Victims Advocate is assigned to the Dearborn Police Department. The Advocate is available five days per week during regular business hours to respond to victims needs as they relate to domestic violence and sexual assault. The Advocacy in the criminal justice system includes collaboration with police officers, detectives, prosecutors, judges, and probation officers. They provide:

• Victims with information about the legal process, court dates, and potential outcomes of cases.
• Accompany victims to criminal justice proceedings and activities.
• Provide transportation and childcare during court.
• Assist victims in obtaining personal protection orders (PPO) and filing show cause motions for violation of PPO's.
• Provide the criminal justice system with background information and histories of domestic violence in individual cases.

Participate in training programs for police officers.

Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT)

The CNT team works closely with the S.W.A.T. unit to assist in the safe outcome of hostage situations and barricaded suspects.  The CNT team can also be utilized for crisis intervention and suicide prevention.  In addition, the CNT has been given a response vehicle (panel truck) which has been converted with the state of the art hostage negotiation equipment for quicker response to scenes.

Internal Affairs Unit

The Internal Affairs unit is responsible for the prompt and thorough investigation of all citizens and internal complaints of officer misconduct. The Dearborn Police Department is committed to maintaining integrity, professionalism, and responsibility within the ranks of the department.

Youth Bureau

Under the supervision of a Sergeant, 3 Investigative Corporals have the responsibility of investigating crimes committed by persons under 17 years of age and referring the cases to the Wayne County Juvenile or 19^th District Court.  Some investigations are worked on jointly with detectives when offenders are students and over age 17.   Attendance at monthly probation meetings allows Youth Investigators to work with probation officers in tracking offender’s behavior and follow their progress.

TITAN Program (Teaching Integrity Tolerance & Non-Violence)

TITAN was implemented in September 2002. The program is based upon a community policing philosophy, addressing problems as they arise and customizing our services to current trends in the community.  The program was designed to be extremely flexible to ensure we are able to meet the ever-changing needs of young people today. Three officers are school liaison officers with the Dearborn Public School system and attend numerous school functions such as sporting events, rallies, parades, and graduations.