TPD Recognized Internationally for Excellence in Criminal Investigations

September 30, 2020

TPD Recognized Internationally for Excellence in Criminal Investigations

The Tallahassee Police Department was honored this week with the 2020 IACP/Thomson Reuters Excellence in Criminal Investigations Award. Given by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), this award recognizes a law enforcement agency, unit, task force or inter-agency task force for exceptional innovation in criminal investigations. Entries are received from agencies around the globe, and award winners must demonstrate an intersection of technology, traditional police work and collaboration to solve crimes.

TPD was chosen for the tireless work of its Violent Crimes Unit (VCU), which is part of its Criminal Investigations Bureau. VCU is responsible for investigating violent crimes against persons. It is comprised of 13 investigators and four victim advocates, who collectively investigated over 1,500 cases, including 24 homicides, in 2019. Of the 24 homicides, 21 were cleared, resulting in an unprecedented 88 percent closure rate.

“To be recognized internationally for the steadfast dedication with which our officers serve this community is an amazing honor. To bring closure to a victim’s family and remove predators from the street is a responsibility our officers take extremely personally,” Chief of Police Lawrence Revell said. “I’m proud of the exemplary work demonstrated by VCU.”

While the award recognizes the totality of the unit’s success, it centered on the investigation of the homicide of Shawnez Williams and the subsequent apprehension and arrest within 48 hours of Philip O’Neil Ford. During the exhaustive investigation, TPD knocked on numerous doors, spoke with numerous individuals, exonerated two different suspects, used its strong relationship to collaborate with Florida Department of Law Enforcement, obtained a DNA profile and match, analyzed hundreds of pages of data, reviewed security footage, utilized scent detection dogs, searched vehicles and more to ultimately apprehend and arrest a violent sexual predator turned serial killer. Due to the strong evidence gathered by TPD, the arrestee later entered a no contest plea and was sentenced to spend the rest of his natural life in state prison. Due to TPD’s dedication, diligence and attention to detail in closing this case, the lives of numerous future victims were potentially saved.

IACP is the largest professional association for police leaders, with more than 31,000 members in over 165 countries. It is committed to advancing safer communities through thoughtful, progressive police leadership. Past winners of the IACP/Thomson Reuters Excellence in Criminal Investigations Award include the Dubai Police General Headquarters, Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The Tallahassee Police Department is the second longest nationally accredited agency in the United States. It is driven by the core values of trust, loyalty and commitment. TPD routinely reviews its policies and practices to ensure it maintains the highest standard and implements current best-practices for modern law enforcement agencies. To learn more about TPD, visit Talgov.com/Police or follow the department on social media at Facebook.com/TallyPD and Twitter.com/TallyPD.

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