(See General Orders 470.00: V.I.P. Security Plan, and 475.00: Covert Operation Plans

The Special Investigations Unit (S.I.U.) is a support unit. There are two sections of S.I.U, the operational and the technical.

The operational section of S.I.U. supports criminal investigations through the apprehension of individuals associated with criminal activity. This section also provides tactical intelligence support and surveillance needs. 

S.I.U. also has a technical component which provides basic digital forensics for the police department.   

The S.I.U. is supervised by Senior Commander of the Homicide/Robbery Unit who is responsible for the administration and coordination of the unit. They are accountable to the deputy chief of the major crimes division.

The S.I.U is the primary liaison that coordinates with outside agencies at the local and state level.    

Goals and Responsibilities:

S.I.U. provides operational investigative support. 

The responsibilities of the S.I.U. shall include but not limited to the following:

  • Apprehend individuals associated with criminal activities

  • Support criminal investigations through case support and intelligence dissemination

  • Conduct criminal investigations as assigned

  • Provide technical assistance and execute search warrants

  • Assist with the coordination and planning of V.I.P. protection details as requested (G.O. 470.00) and assist when requested by the S.W.A.T. or S.O.U. commanders

  • Liaison with federal, state, and local police agencies conducting enforcement activities within the City of Saint Paul

  • Digital media reviews by trained staff in forensics related to computers and cell phones

Procedures:

Compiling Intelligence:

All data received shall be evaluated by S.I.U. personnel for accuracy, creditability and appropriateness to the S.I.U. function. Questionable information shall be further reviewed by the S.I.U. unit head for a final determination of its value and appropriateness. S.I.U. personnel shall periodically reevaluate information received from other agencies by contacting the supplying agency to update and verify the accuracy of the information received.

Intelligence Dissemination:

Criminal intelligence is information compiled, analyzed and/or disseminated to anticipate, prevent, or monitor criminal activity

The S.I.U. shall coordinate the dissemination of criminal intelligence data with the Crime Analysis Unit to ensure there is no duplication.  The S.I.U will focus on immediate public safety data needs for the department.  The following procedures will be adhered to:

  1. S.I.U. personnel receiving requests for criminal intelligence data from outside agencies will ensure that the requesting party is a validated law enforcement agent. If it’s not an immediate need the agency will be referred to the data practices portal and/or the specific unit investigator to follow-up.
  1. Criminal intelligence developed by S.I.U. shall be forwarded to the appropriate department unit which has responsibility for the substance of the intelligence (e.g. homicide, robbery, burglary, etc). Criminal intelligence of general immediate significance to all law enforcement personnel shall be broadly disseminated to all department units through all available resources, including but not limited to bulletins, roll call notices, special communications, emergency communication center facilities, etc.
  1. S.I.U will deconflict with the Crime Analysis Unit (C.A.U.) and S.O.U to ensure duplication efforts are not happening.  It should be noted that S.I.U. will disseminate immediate safety concerns whereas the C.A.U. and S.O.U have standardized daily, weekly, monthly reports with limited immediate concerns.

Tactical Intelligence Functions:

The S.I.U. unit provides tactical intelligence.

Tactical Intelligence: Information regarding a specific criminal event that can be used immediately by operational units to further a criminal investigation, plan tactical operations and provide for officer safety.

Tactical intelligence functions held by S.I.U. personnel will include:

  • Conduct surveillance operations of suspected criminals and/or criminal activities

  • Provide tactical assistance to other department investigative units upon request

  • Provide tactical assistance to other law enforcement agencies upon request

  • Apprehend individuals associated with criminal activities

  • Information gathering from sources, including but not limited to informants, outside law enforcement agencies/officers, law enforcement databases, and open source platforms

  • Cell phone and/or social media warrant execution and data collection

  • Maintain and deploy covert/overt surveillance equipment

  • Liaison with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies for the purposes of intelligence collection, dissemination, and intelligence requests

  • Disseminate intelligence and other public safety-related data obtained from within the department and other law enforcement agencies

    The S.I.U. shall assist any unit within the department to the extent feasible, restricted only by the limited resources of the S.I.U. All reasonable requests shall be responded to without delay.

    The S.I.U. shall conduct covert investigations as deemed appropriate by the S.I.U unit head to assist the tactical intelligence function and to provide support to other departmental units. (See General Order 475.00: Covert Operation Plans.)

    Revised September 27, 2019

Last Edited: October 11, 2019