The Major Crimes Bureau is an investigative component of the Criminal Investigations Division of the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, where detectives specialized in investigating various crimes identify and apprehend the criminals responsible. This bureau also includes personnel that specialize in evidence collection to aid in prosecution of cases.
Persons Crimes Unit
The Persons Crimes Unit includes detectives who investigate felonies such as murder, robbery, and other violent crimes against individuals. The unit includes a civilian cold case investigator who investigates unsolved homicides and other high impact unsolved cases in Alachua County. Their mission is to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, seeking answers and justice for the victims and their families. For more information on our cold cases, click here.
Special Victims Unit
The Special Victims Unit includes detectives who investigate sexual battery, child abuse, human trafficking, domestic violence, missing persons, and certain crimes against the elderly. This unit works in collaboration with the University of Florida Child Protection Team, the Department of Children and Families, and ASO’s Victim Advocate Unit. Detectives assigned to this unit are also assigned as members of the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, investigating crimes involving the exploitation of children facilitated by use of the internet. Most investigations involve child pornography offenses and solicitation of minors for illegal activity.
Forensics Unit
The Forensics Unit conducts crime scene investigations, and provides photographic services, fingerprint identification, evidence collection, and digital forensics examination. The unit typically processes major crime scenes such as homicides, sexual batteries, and other violent crimes. They also provide forensics support to the High Springs and Alachua Police Departments.
The unit also includes two digital forensics examiners, tasked with various forms of data extraction from cell phones, computers, tablets, vehicle systems, etc. – finding the “digital fingerprints” of today’s criminals.
Additionally, the Forensics Unit is responsible for maintaining the fingerprint records of all persons arrested in Alachua County. Latent Print Examiners process all requests for fingerprint comparisons, from not only our agency, but from the surrounding area agencies as well. Law enforcement agencies may request a copy of a fingerprint/palm print card free of charge. Fingerprint/palm print cards can be mailed or e-mailed.
Fingerprint requests should be emailed to asoforensics@acso.us and should contain the following information:
- Your name and title
- Your agency name and mailing address
- Your contact phone number
- Subject’s name, race, sex, and date of birth
- Indicate if palm prints are needed