TEAM WITH LAPTOPS OFFERS HELP TO STATE MAJOR CASE SQUADS

State law enforcement agencies have a new high tech tool to help solve major crimes, thanks to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The patrol's violent crime support unit has been available to local law enforcement since Tuesday, the unit's coordinator, Van Godsey, told a group of law enforcement officers at the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department Friday afternoon.

The unit began May 1, but patrol employees spent the last three months readying their computers and software.

The unit, based in Jefferson City, can respond immediately if major case squad authorities notify it.

Right now that response will be two officers with laptops in hand, Godsey told the 32 officers from the Cape Girardeau-Bollinger County major case squad.

Two people toting three laptops might not sound like much support, he added, but the computer and service the unit offers are typically a help to local law enforcement agencies that don't have the same on-line capabilities.

The unit's services include telephone subscriber information, credit bureau reports, criminal history records, intelligence data from the highway patrol and INTERPOL, missing persons data, organized crime data and information from the Missouri Department of Revenue including title holders, drivers' histories with the license photographs, license plate numbers or partial numbers and lists of specific types, makes and models of vehicles registered in a certain area.

In addition to the on-line services, investigators can feed information into the computer and for cross-referencing with information from other investigators on the same case.

"The round table discussions -- where everyone says what they have come up with -- are good and important in an investigation," Godsey said, "but that's not always possible. So when an investigator wants to look at what information has been compiled so far, it's all already there. He can look at it in the computer, or we can print it out."

Law enforcement officials representing five area departments agreed the service would help in the next major case squad investigation.

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff John Jordan said he thinks the service "will be well-utilized here."

Bollinger County Sheriff Dan Mesey called it a "very significant service to us."

Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said the patrol's unit would be added to the list of authorities to notify immediately for a major case squad investigation.

"I'd rather err on the side of calling them out and having them go back home than not calling them out," Swingle said.

Godsey is confident in his computer unit, saying he has spent the last few weeks trying to make the system fail -- "and it hasn't."

In addition to the computer services, the unit will offer case reviews and professional services.

Godsey said law enforcement agencies are able to send the files from a stagnated investigation to other investigators for review and opinions on how to proceed.

"Sometimes it's helpful to have a fresh mind look at a case," he said.

Godsey said 17 detectives -- mostly specializing in homicide -- are on a list with the unit. He said several of the detectives will be called to Jefferson City on a rotating basis to consider cases from other jurisdictions that the unit is asked to review. Other detectives will be added to the list, and Godsey said he hopes to have 25 or more investigators for the rotation.

The professional services the unit offers include technical forensic and special laboratory services.

"Right now some of those tests aren't done because the money isn't available," Godsey said, "but we will evaluate investigations on a case-by-case basis and may be able to pay for some of the tests."

Godsey said the unit's personnel, if called, would drive to Southeast Missouri within five hours.