GOVERNOR PROMOTES CRIME UNIT

The new Violent Crime Support Unit of the Missouri Highway Patrol will "put more advanced crime-fighting technologies and expertise at the fingertips of local lay enforcement officers" during investigations of major crimes, according to Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan.

The governor, along with Missouri State Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Fred Mills, state Department of Public Safety Director Gary Kempker and other officials, appeared at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport Wednesday afternoon as part of a statewide tour to promote the new unit.

During a press conference also attended by about 20 members of local law enforcement, Carnahan said the Violent Crime Support Unit will serve as another weapon against crime in the state.

"This is a new dose of strong medicine for the disease that threatens the safety of citizens in this state," Carnahan said.

The unit's mission is three-fold: track and compare reports, leads and evidence; review unsolved cases; and provide special forensic and laboratory services.

"One of the most difficult tasks of a major case squad investigation is the tracking of information, especially in those investigations when a number of officers and a number of agencies are involved," Kempker said.

The unit, which currently consists of two full-time members supplemented by experienced investigators from around the state, can be called in by major case squads as well as any law enforcement agency.

When assistance is requested, trained crime analysts will arrive on the scene and enter all pertinent information into a computerized case management system developed specifically for the patrol.

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff John Jordan feels the unit will prove an asset for regional enforcement and help agencies stay on top of the minutiae of an investigation.

"This will bring the technology to our doorstep," Jordan said.

The unit, developed with input from law enforcement officials statewide, went through several dry runs before facing its first real test earlier this month. In that case, the unit joined a homicide investigation in St. Clair County on Aug. 14 and remained in the area for four days. The investigation ended with the arrests of two suspects. Col. Mills said the unit proved vital to the successful completion of the investigation.

Operation and start-up costs for this year total around $177,000, Carnahan said. He estimates the unit will cost $100,000 annually. Money for its operation is taken from general revenue.

"This is not just tough talk; it is an ironclad commitment," Carnahan said.