Police Department

Special Victims Unit (SVU)

The Special Victims Unit (SVU) formed in January of 2002 under the umbrella of Major Crimes. The Spokane Police Department recognizes the importance of having a specialized unit of detectives with specific training for sensitive investigations. Detectives in the SVU obtain training in victim/trauma informed interviewing and investigations, forensic child interviewing, and sexual assault investigations. Detectives work closely with our community partners at Lutheran Community Services Northwest, Partners with Families and Children, The WA State Department of Children, Youth, and Families, and other community organizations and groups. In addition, SPD has a crime victim advocate who assists detectives and our community partners with referrals and resources.

The Spokane Police Department uses a collaborative approach to investigations with its community partners. SVU detectives work with victims and survivors to put them in touch with those who can provide special assistance and support. The goal of detectives is to obtain justice, do no further harm to victims, and to be a positive change in the system whenever possible.

SVU detectives work crimes against persons involving child abuse, elder abuse, and sexual assault. A detective with special training works to keep track of registered sex offenders within the city of Spokane. A detective with specialized training in cybercrimes involving children is assigned with the US Department of Homeland Security to conduct investigations in the Spokane area as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC). SVU members also work collaboratively with the Spokane Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

Detectives within the Special Victim's Unit are dedicated to their chosen craft. They work long days, and often exhaustive investigations. Detectives take pride in helping provide justice for a victim each time a sexual offender is identified, prosecuted, and adjudicated. Detectives also recognize that every conviction likely results in saving another person from being subjected to sexual violence.