Specialized Units

The Team operates three Airbus AS350B3 helicopters with the designated call signs of “County Air” 1, 2 and 3. The helicopters are equipped with:

• An array of multifrequency radios—Enable the crew to communicate simultaneously with air traffic control and nearby flying aircrafts, departmental ground units, neighboring law enforcement agencies, joint multijurisdictional task forces and federal agencies.
• Mission equipment
• An infrared thermal imager
• A 30-million candlepower searchlight
• A color video camera
• A moving street map
• A flight terrain and obstacle avoidance system
• Electronically stabilized binoculars
• A LOJACK stolen auto signal receiver
• Microwave video downlink system
• Weather radar

In 2020 the Aviation Team flew nearly 2,000 flight hours and responded to more than 4,000 calls and activities in support of patrol, specialized units, neighboring jurisdictions, and federal agencies. The total calls for service included more than 2,200 searches and resulted in 403 arrest assists, the recovery of 11 LOJACK equipped stolen vehicles and the location of 83 critical missing subjects, who returned home or to a medical facility.

The Aviation Team consists of the:

• Supervisor
• Sergeant and trained pilot
• Seven full-time officers and pilots and
• Three Tactical Flight Officers (TFOs)

The pilots serve a dual role as pilot and TFO and must be proficient in the TFO skill set. Pilots and TFOs are selected from within the ranks of BCoPD.

Requirements

Pilots and TFOs must complete a selection process including:

• A resume review
• An inflight practical evaluation
• A panel interview
• An underwater egress training

To be eligible to apply for the officer and pilot position, applicants must possess:

• An FAA commercial pilot license
• An FAA medical certificate (Second Class)
• A minimum of 1,000 turbine helicopter flight hours as a pilot in command

To be eligible for selection as a TFO, applicants must have a minimum of five years of commendable departmental experience. TFOs come from varied backgrounds within the department in the fields of patrol, traffic and criminal investigation.

The Administration Section consists of a Laboratory Director, an Assistant Director-Lieutenant, a Quality and Technical Services Manager, an Office Assistant and a Police Cadet. The Laboratory Director and Lieutenant are responsible for overseeing the day-to-day activities of the Laboratory personnel. The Quality and Technical Services Manager along with the Laboratory Director are responsible for monitoring technical and management systems to ensure compliance with accreditation standards, federal, state, local and departmental requirements.

The Biology Unit receives over 400 requests per year for analysis of a variety of crimes. The analysts screen evidence for the presence of bodily fluids and conduct DNA analysis on probative samples. The Biology Unit consists of a Supervisor and six DNA Analysts, which adhere to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Quality Assurance Standards for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories. This enables the Biology Unit to participate in the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), giving Baltimore County the ability to compare DNA profiles developed from local crime scene evidence to convicted offenders, arrestees and other crime scene evidence profiles all across the country.

The Chemistry Unit consists of a Supervisor and seven Chemists that analyzes evidence submitted by investigators for the presence of controlled dangerous substances (CDS) by using a variety of techniques to include:

• Microscopy
• Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS)
• Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).

The Chemistry Unit is licensed by the state of Maryland and registered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, in addition to abiding by the additional requirements of these entities regarding procurement, transfer, possession, storage, use and disposal of CDS.

The Crime Scene Unit (CSU) consists of three Supervisors and 19 Forensic Services Technicians, to include six Police Officers. The CSU is staffed 24/7. Forensic Service Technicians:

• Respond to crime scenes for the purpose of documenting, photographing and recovering evidence
• Are trained to identify and preserve probative evidence, specializing in complex crime scenes
• Process items of evidence for latent prints using chemical and powder techniques. Latent prints developed and recovered as evidence are submitted to the Latent Print Unit for examination.

The Digital and Multimedia Evidence Unit (DMEU) consists of a Supervisor as well as:

• Four Computer Forensic Examiners—Analyze devices including computers, mobile devices, video game systems, etc. for digital evidence.
• One Video Examiner—Extracting and enhancing video surveillance evidence.
• Two Forensic Photographers—Maintain the photographs taken by Forensic Services Technicians, investigate officers at crime scenes, assist the Department in personnel and other media-related photographic services.

The Evidence Processing Unit consists of two Forensic Analysts that

• Process requests for laboratory examinations from the field, including latent print processing, footwear examinations and database searches
• Provide training for the Forensic Services Technicians
• Keep FSS current by validating the latest evidence processing techniques

The Firearms Unit consists of:

• A Supervisor
• Two Firearms Examiners and one part-time Firearms Examiner—Perform examinations and comparisons of microscopic markings on fired bullets and cartridge casings, render firearms safe, conduct scientific field investigations of shooting scenes and perform serial number restoration.
• A sworn Firearms Technician. Firearms Examiners

The Firearms Unit is an established IBIS (Integrated Ballistics Identification System) Site recognized by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This recognition authorizes the Unit to access the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) database. Access to this database enables Baltimore County to compare evidence submitted for image capture from local crime scenes to other crimes or firearms in the NIBIN database.

The Latent Print Unit consists of a Supervisor, three Latent Print Examiners and one part-time Latent Print Examiner. Latent Print Examiners analyze latent prints recovered from crime scenes to the comparison and verification of potential identifications using a computer documentation system known as Mideo. This documentation system tracks the process from start to finish. They also utilize the scientific method of Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation and Verification (ACE-V).

Once an Examiner determines that a print is of value, they can utilize the Maryland Automated Fingerprint Identification System (MAFIS) and Federal Automated Fingerprint Identification System known as the Next Generation Identification (NGI). These databases give Baltimore County access to the entire state of Maryland’s fingerprint records and records for the entire country, respectively.

The Patrol and Narcotics Team responds to 6,000 service calls a year, which include deployment to over 1,000 criminal incidents and 300 searches of controlled dangerous substances.

Training

Patrol canines go through 16 weeks of basic patrol training before they are certified, which includes:

• Basic obedience
• Obstacle course
• Box searches
• Trailing
• Area searches
• Building searches
• Aggression control

After completing the initial certification, each patrol K9 must re-certify annually while performing 16 hours of maintenance training each month. The patrol canine then receives eight additional weeks of training in the detection of controlled dangerous substances, which includes which includes building, vehicle and area/field searches, as well as scent discrimination.The skill of detection is also tested annually in order to keep the patrol canine certified.

The Explosive Detection Team responds to 30 searches each year for criminal incidents and for the safety of public venues, which includes trains, aircrafts and ships.

Training

The explosive detection canine must complete eight weeks of training, which includes building, vehicle and area/field searches, as well as scent discrimination. Each explosive detection canine must test with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives each year and perform 16 hours of maintenance training each month.

On average, the K9 Unit responds to 30 Search and Rescues Team events each year for critically missing and endangered persons.

Training

The bloodhounds are given 10 weeks of training, which includes scent discrimination/article collection and trailing. The bloodhounds certify annually through the National Police Bloodhound Association and perform 16 hours of maintenance training each month.