Every victim of crime must be empowered with fairness, equality and justice. The Criminal Investigation Division (CID) shall use its resources and energy to provide for the successful resolution of criminal cases assigned. The safety, welfare, and justice of victims will always remain top priority.

Criminal Investigation Division Objectives:

a.    To investigate and prosecute any and all criminal cases within the CNMI’s jurisdiction and applicable Federal laws.
b.    To implement financial investigative and prosecutorial programs that target the identification of money laundering operations and assets obtained through illegal drug trafficking, including the development of proposed model legislation, financial investigative training, and financial information sharing system.
c.    To implement programs of which the primary goal is to strengthen enforcement and prosecution efforts targeted at copper wire thefts, prostitution, burglary and thefts, and all theft cases.
d.    To enforce and prosecute violent crimes, organized crimes, money laundering crimes, gambling-related crimes, public corruption crimes and fraud cases against the CNMI government with priority attention to cases involving government officials.
e.    To train project staff in the techniques of drug identification, counterfeit, crime scene and identity theft investigation and prosecution, as well as implementing drug-related asset forfeiture procedures.
f.    To review and improve existing CNMI laws with regards to controlled substances, asset forfeiture, money laundering, gambling-related offenses, organized crimes, prostitution, illegal taxi operations, and copper wire thefts. These tasks include enforcement and prosecution of such offenses and the development of model legislation to create necessary laws and strengthen existing ones.
g.    To develop a network of associations and resources specifically designed to aid in the investigation and prosecution of all criminal offenders.
h.    To implement other activities between and amongst the Department of Finance, Department of Public Safety, the Office of the Attorney General, DEA, and U.S. Marshals.

CID also assists other law enforcement agencies in the investigation and apprehensions of criminals, such as in cases involving illegal drugs, violent crimes, organized crimes, gambling-related offenses, public corruption, copper wire theft, illegal taxi operation, and prostitution. The Division functions as the point of contact for intergovernmental cooperation involving joint operations with state and federal law enforcement agencies, including regional law enforcement agencies, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Customs Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), and CNMI Division of Customs.


Juvenile Police Unit

The Juvenile Crimes and Delinquency Unit provides two types of services:

Victims Services:  services provided, as mandated by Public Law 12-82, to minors (under the age of 18) who have been sexually, physically, and/or mentally abused. Delinquents / Offenders Services: services provided to minors who have committed crimes as listed under Title IV of the Commonwealth Criminal Code.

The duty of the investigator in charge of this unit is to review complaints reported to the Department of Public Safety, Department of Youth Services and/or any other means that such cases are reported.  After the complaint reports are received and reviewed, follow up investigations begin, which involve the investigator interviewing the victims, witnesses, offenders, and/or any experts, such as a medical physician, social worker or counselor to obtain important information pertaining to the case.  An arrest warrant may be required to apprehend the offender to such cases.  A search warrant may also be required to collect and secure any possible evidence.

Upon completion of the investigation, the case file and it’s entirety is then reviewed by the unit's officer in charge before forwarding the case to the Office of the Attorney General for final disposition.


Drug Enforcement Task Force (DETF)

The DETF is a DPS-led initiative that combines personnel, intelligence, logistics, and resources from the DPS Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and the Department of Finance Division of Customs (Customs) to target domestic and international narcotics traffickers throughout the CNMI. Through its investigation, the DETF strives to reduce the availability of illegal drugs, such as methamphetamine, marijuana, illegally diverted prescription medications and other controlled substances in the CNMI. The Task Force also strives to increase the public’s safety by arresting and prosecuting the narcotics traffickers whose actions contribute to drug addiction, which leads to increased levels of street violence, family violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and property crime. Moreover, investigators in this unit assist in the seizure of currency and other assets related to these drugs investigations. The DETF furthermore works closely with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to bring Federal prosecutions against international narcotics traffickers who are supplying the CNMI from outside the Department of Public Safety’s jurisdictional reach.

Domestic Violence Intervention Unit

The Domestic Violence Intervention Unit is tasked with investigating any and all crimes related to domestic violence, family violence, Man’Amko (elder) abuse, human trafficking and sexual exploitation of a child, stalking, interference with domestic violence reports, criminal contempt, and prostitution. This unit is also tasked with serving court orders, protection orders, temporary restraining orders and transporting victims of domestic violence and human trafficking to a safe house.

Specialized Homicide Activities Resolution Project (SHARP)

The Specialized Homicide Activities Resolution Project (SHARP) Unit investigates any and all crimes involving homicides, assault with a dangerous weapon, aggravated assault and battery, rape, riot, escaped prisoner, attempted murder, natural death, and death due to unusual circumstances. This unit is also tasked with working on unknown homicide cases, also known as cold cases, dating back as early as the 1970s to present.

Thief Apprehension Select Coalition (TASC) Unit

The Thief Apprehension Select Coalition (TASC) Unit primary investigations focus on any and all theft cases, including burglary and theft, identity theft, theft of service, theft by unlawful taking, theft by extortion, theft by deception, robbery, and copper wire theft.

Human Trafficking Intervention Coalition

Human Trafficking Intervention Coalition primary investigations are geared toward any and all crimes related to human trafficking, involuntary servitude, and sexual exploitation of a child. The unit works closely with the CNMI Labor Investigative Unit, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Marshals, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Guma Esperansa, Karidat, NMI Red Cross Chapter and other private and government agencies.

General Crimes Unit

The duties and responsibilities of investigators assigned to the General Crimes Unit is to investigate, identify, and apprehend offenders committing misdemeanor crimes, such as assault, assault and battery, disturbing the peace, obstruction of justice, resisting arrest, loitering, nuisance, riot, criminal mischief, criminal trespassing, or indecent exposure.  Most, if not all, offenses investigated and forwarded to the judicial courts from this unit carry jail sentencing of not more than 12 months and/or fines not more than five hundred dollars [$500.00] if the offender is convicted.

Upon the completion of the investigation of a case, the case file in its entirety is reviewed by the unit’s officer in charge and then forwarded to the Assistant Attorney General’s Office for final disposition.