Support Bureau - City of St Matthews

The St. Matthews Police Department Support Bureau is commanded by an Executive Command Staff member who holds the rank of major. It is comprised of several units, each of which are tasked with distinctive roles that are directed toward supporting the police department. These units consist of Criminal Investigations/Narcotics, Communications Center, Evidence and Property, Chaplain Program/Peer Support along with other administrative tasks performed under this bureau.

Criminal Investigations Division (CID)

The Criminal Investigation Division (CID) provides professional investigative services to the City of St. Matthews. CID is responsible for criminal investigations to include deaths, sexual assault, armed robbery, burglaries, fraud, and drug operations. They also provide investigative assistance to the patrol division as well as to other local, state, and federal agencies. CID consists of two squads, the Narcotics Squad and Criminal Investigations Squad.

Communications

Communications is an integral and vital unit for officer safety and operations. The Dispatch Center, answers 911 and non-emergency calls twenty-four hours a day. Telecommunicators receive calls for service and dispatch to the police on a priority basis. Dispatch personnel are also responsible for entering records into the national crime data base NCIC (National Crime Information Center). These records include wanted and missing persons, stolen vehicles and property, and domestic violence orders.

Evidence / Property Unit

The Property/Evidence Unit is responsible for the intake, preservation and disposal of property and evidence collected by members of the St. Matthews Police Department. Members of this unit ensure the integrity of evidence which has been collected and is responsible for the transportation to the Kentucky State Police Laboratory or other certified testing facilities. This includes testing evidence for DNA, fingerprints and even weapons through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). They also assist with property which has been found to be returned to their rightful owners.

Administrative

The Administrative Unit is responsible for maintaining the fleet, quartermaster system and various other administrative support functions. These other functions include, but are not limited to, radio repair, law enforcement software support, liaison with police vendors, social media and crime and asset forfeiture reporting.

Chaplain Program / Peer Support Team (PST)

The Chaplain Program was established to benefit both the community and our officers. The Chaplains are volunteer staff with religious ties throughout the community. To our benefit, our chaplains also have a law enforcement background. The Chaplain Program serves in many ways to include assisting with family notifications, comforting victims, or their families, taking part in community events and dealing with those in need, including our own members.

The Peer Support Team is in its infancy but was created to assist in guiding and supporting officers who have been involved in critical incidents, traumatic events or any other incident which causes emotional distress. The Team consists of members who are trained in dealing with officers who may be dealing with both job-related or personal issues.