Sexual Assault Cold Case Unit

As defined by (NRS 200.366), Sexual Assault is: A person who subjects another person to sexual penetration, or who forces another person to make a sexual penetration on himself or another, or on a beast, against the will of the victim or under conditions in which the perpetrator knows or should know that the victim is mentally or physically incapable of resisting or understanding the nature of his conduct.

Sex Crimes includes, but are not limited to Sexual Assault, Lewdness with a Minor, Luring a Minor, Statutory Sexual Seduction, Sexual Conduct between Teacher/Student and Pornography involving minors.

Yes - There are some sex related crimes handled by other details, such as, child prostitution and suspicious deaths which are investigated by Vice and Homicide details, respectively.

The Sexual Assault Unit consists of five squads of detectives. Each squad is supervised by a sergeant. Three of the squads work full time on day-shift and two squads work full time on night-shift, in order for 7 day coverage. The detectives are responsible for the screening and reviewing of reported crimes, probable cause arrests, search warrants, case submittal packages. The investigating detective also coordinates with the first response officer in cases where a Sexual Assault has occurred within the preceding 7 days. The Sexual Assault detective directs the investigation to include the timing and location of the medical exam, victim interview, and crime scene. There are many follow-up steps after the initial response and the steps can alter depending on the complexity/circumstances of the case.

If a Sexual Assault Crime has just occurred, immediately call the LVMPD emergency number of 911. If some time has passed since the assault, but is within 7 days, the LVMPD emergency number of 911 can still be called, or the non-emergency number of 702-828-3111. All other cases beyond the 7 day window can be reported, in person, to any LVMPD Area Command. Area Commands can either take the report, and collect voluntary statements, or call Sexual Assault Detectives for direction. Reports taken will be forwarded to the Sexual Assault Detective Bureau and assigned to a Detective.

Please call the Sexual Assault Detail at 702-828-3421 and ask for the assigned Detective. If you do not know who the assigned Detective is, advise the support staff your name or event number and they will direct you to your assigned Detective. Staff personnel only have minimal information about your case and are not allowed to discuss the details of the case. They can only forward you to your detective’s desk phone, or the sergeant’s desk phone. Staff personnel normally work from 8:00 A.M. until 4:00 P.M. Support Staff are not available on holidays or weekends.

Per NRS 200.366

1.) Sexual assault must be found, or an information or complaint filed, within twenty years after commission of the offense; or 2.) If sexual abuse against a child, before the victim is 36 if victim discovers or reasonably should have discovered that she/he was a victim of sexual abuse by the date she/he reaches 36; or before the victim is 43 if she/he does not discover and reasonably should not have discovered that she/he was a victim of the sexual abuse by the date she/he reached 36. If you have any questions regarding your case, contact LVMPD Sexual Assault Detectives because the statute of limitations laws have changed throughout the years.

Nevada’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) was developed to address the growing backlog of sexual assault kits and to establish policies for the collection, testing and tracking of evidence, victim notification and to improve the process of sexual assault investigations. To date, more than 7,000 sexual assault kits have been tested and more than 3,500 cold cases have been reviewed.

The Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) is a working group comprised of the Nevada Attorney General’s Office, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Forensic Laboratory and Sex Crimes Section, Victim Advocates, the University of Nevada - Las Vegas, Legislators, Henderson Police Department, North Las Vegas Police Department, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Forensic Medical Specialists, the Clark County District Attorney’s Office and the Rape Crisis Center.

Through the working group’s collaboration, funding was secured through various grants to address the backlog of untested kits. Funds help provide the resources needed for victim notification and support, investigation and prosecution, the development of victim-centered investigative methods, DNA analysis and the reform of sexual assault kit testing policies.

When victims of sexual assault seek medical assistance, a medical professional, usually a trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), will conduct a medical forensic examination to collect any biological evidence from the assault. Biological evidence may include saliva, semen, hair and/or skin. The sexual assault kit (SAK) generally includes swabs, test tubes, microscopic slides and evidence envelopes for hairs and fibers. Also, photographs are used to document any injuries she or he may have sustained from the assault.

Additionally, articles of clothing, bedding or other relevant items may be collected by the investigator for possible DNA analysis.

In 1994, for law enforcement purposes, the FBI was granted authority to establish a national DNA database, now known as, the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). CODIS houses two types of DNA profiles, offender and forensic unknown (profiles associated with crime scenes). A CODIS hit occurs when DNA from a possible offender matches DNA from a sexual assault kit.