Criminal Investigations Unit

The Criminal Investigations Unit is responsible for the investigation of cases involving a special subject matter and cases that are more complicated and often of a more time consuming nature. The Criminal Investigations Unit is assigned a case when the nature of the crime involves serious criminal activity, such as suspected homicides, suicides, felony thefts, forgeries, felonious assaults, fraud, narcotics, or when the criminal activity appears to be part of a pattern. 
 
The Criminal Investigations Unit is commanded by Jay Murphy, Investigative Lieutenant. The investigations unit is staffed with three investigators. The investigators are criminal Investigator Erin Byrne, Juvenile Services Officer Jennifer Klaus, and Narcotics Investigator Shane Maloley.  
 
During 2019, the Investigations Unit initially handled 680 calls for service.  In addition to these calls, several hundred other calls passed on from road patrol, were followed up on by the investigation’s unit.  These calls included calls such as missing person cases, burglaries, thefts, suicides, sexual assaults, fraud, adult and child abuse cases, narcotics cases, and forgery cases. In addition, the Investigations Unit assisted numerous outside agencies with investigations of crimes in their jurisdictions which had ties to Beatrice. The Investigations Unit also assisted the road patrol officers in investigating several felony thefts and assisting on calls which required a significant investment in time and resources.  The Investigations Unit continues to work with other agencies in regard to Internet Crimes against Children. These cases involve crimes such as possession of child pornography, online enticement of a child, and any other cyber-crime involving a child. During 2019, the Investigations Unit was also requested to install covert surveillance cameras in Beatrice businesses and home residences in order to solve theft issues. 
 
Aside from criminal investigations, the Investigations Unit conducts background investigations for new department personnel, backgrounds for handgun permit applications, vendor background investigations, and background investigations for liquor license applications within the City of Beatrice. The Investigations Unit is also assigned to the state-mandated, county-wide, Child Abuse/Neglect Investigative and Treatment Teams. Officer Jennifer Klaus, who specializes as a Juvenile Services Officer, is instrumental in coordinating with the many various agencies on child abuse/neglect cases. This would include working with all of the Beatrice Public Schools, the School Resource Officers, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Child Advocacy Center in investigating cases of possible child abuse or neglect occurring within the City of Beatrice. 
 
The Investigations Unit also serves as liaison officers to Crime Stoppers of Gage County. This assignment requires the investigators to attend meetings of the Crime Stoppers Board and to assist with recommendations of rewards to callers who provide information leading to arrests.