Wednesday, December 21, 2011

CMPD Homicide Units Earns Kudos



Most of Charlotte missed the Observer's story about CMPD Homicide Detective's being honored last week. If you did you shouldn't have, the reason is that CMPD's Homicide unit has closed 85 percent of this year's homicide cases. Compare that to Baltimore's 47 percent, or North Charleston's 73 percent and you get the idea why this is a big deal.

When it comes to CMPD the truth is always in the details, but even if you discount Chief Monroe's shady dealings you still have a group of men and women who do a top shelf job in a rather unseemly business.

From the Charlotte Observer:

As Dee Sumpter addressed a roomful of Charlotte-Mecklenburg police detectives Thursday afternoon, she pointed to a few and thanked them individually. The detectives she singled out were the ones who investigated the killing of her 20-year-old daughter more than 18 years ago.

Sumpter is one of the co-founders of Mothers of Murdered Offspring, a local group that supports families whose loved ones are victims of homicide. On Thursday, the group honored Charlotte-Mecklenburg police homicide detectives in a ceremony at Little Rock AME Zion Church in uptown.

They praised investigators for their efforts and their recent high number of cleared cases.

Police say they've made arrests in 85 percent of the homicides committed so far this year - a number comparable to recent years. But the case clearance rate jumps to 92 percent when including arrests made in 2011 in murder cases from previous years, police said.

Maj. Andy Leonard, who leads CMPD's Criminal Investigations Bureau, said that for about the first six months of the year, police made an arrest in every homicide case. Now approaching the year's end, only about five cases from 2011 remain open, he said.

The rest of Meghan Cooke's story is here.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

It sounds good, but it is still hard to forget how often in the recent past the defense was reprimanded for witholding evidence during murder trials.

Anonymous said...

Yikes...I said defense, but meant prosecution. Sorry!

Anonymous said...

Good for them!

Homicide is Rodney's baby......they get the lions share of resources at cmpd......they get paid overtime ALL THE TIME, not just when JAG money is used.

I believe they were the only Division that did not get their overtime budget yanked for other uses by Rodney...and who knows exactly what the money deemed for overtime was used for!!??

It's good to be Homicide when Rodney is in charge.... You get whatever you need to "fight crime",,
And exactly how many homicides have we had this year, EXACTLY how many so far??

Anonymous said...

They get all the kudos, but its patrol who gives them the suspect's names and previous dealings with that suspect's. In so many cases, the district knows about the history and when the homicide occurs, forwards the information to the homicide detective, who feels like they are too good to take the information. They close the case and get the credit, when so many times, patrol will gives them the case on a silver platter. This is why so many young officers are wanting to and becoming Homicide Detectives. Wonder what going to happen when they have an extremely young group, who don't have the street creed to solve a case.

Rea Road Neighborhood Coalition said...

While I have issues with Chief Monroe's like of leadership skills, and the way he spends taxpayer dollars like there is no tomorrow, there are things that CMPD does right.

There are also 100's of guys who do their job and never get even a simple thank you.

So from time to time when the MSM gives CMPD some high scores its nice to add to the applause.

Plus this is so much better than Chief Monroe's fake awards and promotion dog and pony shows.

Anonymous said...

Cedar,
Since Rodney took control, everything is suspect....and should be suspect.

There are many hard working cops at cmpd, Rodney is not one of them.

Anon 1:56 is correct.

The Homicide Detectives, , SARGENTS and Captains all have an ATTITUDE, courtesy of Monroe.
Arrogant, uncooperative, and NEVER give credit where credit is due. Their crap doesn't stink......

They are not a art of the Deartmnt, t hear them talk, THEY ARE cmpd.

Patrol hates them because they do most of the legwork, and Homicide takes the credit and never, ever gives Parol their due.

Sorry, it's true.

Anonymous said...

How many homicide detectives are there?

Anonymous said...

@3:11

Well we know that your non- spelling a$$ is not part of the Solution.
The majority of the Homicide Unit was in place b4 Monroe, especially the sergeants.
You have no idea what it takes to get there and how demanding the work is. Patrol is an important key, but the accolades to homicide is deserved.

Anonymous said...

Anon 3:49

The only thing it takes to "get there" is to apply, or be chosen.

There are NO special qualifications, schools, so cut the bullshit. You can be an Officer in a Division one day, and plucked and put in Homicide the next.

Sure, the hours can be long, but they are more than compensated with overtime.

They are arrogant and full of hubris under the Rodney regime.

And they know the deal with callback and hours when they express an interest in going to homicide

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:15 PM

Bitter-much? Guess you applied and didn't make it.

Anonymous said...

Wow! Some people can't even do a good job at CMPD without someone in this blog comment section saying they suck or it's Rodney's fault. Some people are just NEVER going to be happy.

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:55
That's a good one, with those observational skills, maybe you already are a Detective!

Am not a cop and have never been a cop!!

Not bitter, Dude, just know how it works ....you disputing that?

Anonymous said...

11:57

You're right about one thing. Even if you wear a uniform and badge, you are not and have never been a cop.