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Police Investigations

Overview

These officers are charged with investigating and solving all crimes against persons and property. The investigators work Monday through Friday but are on call for investigations twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The staff is trained in modern methods of investigation in areas including white-collar crimes, juvenile crimes, identity theft, homicide and crimes against property and persons.

Four criminal investigators make up the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) Unit. The investigators are responsible for investigating crimes occurring within the City and performing background checks on Public Safety Department employment applicants. All have received advanced training in various levels of specialty. In addition, one investigator is assigned to maintaining the property room where all evidence and items are held for safekeeping and stored.

Staff

Captain David Hipple is a native of Atlanta. He is a graduate of Georgia State University, with a B.S degree in Criminal Justice and an M.A. in Public Administration. Captain Hipple is also a graduate of the Southern Police Institute's Administrative Officer's Course and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Academy. Captain Hipple joined the Decatur Police Department in 1985. He has served as a patrol officer, investigator, patrol supervisor, investigations supervisor and the department's certification manager. Captain Hipple was promoted to his current rank in 2004. Captain Hipple was awarded the department's Manager of the Year Award in 2004. Captain Hipple is also responsible for the management of the department's special patrol units such as the business district officers, housing authority officers, school resource officers, and the traffic enforcement unit.

	Sergeant T.L. Kelley has been employed with the Decatur Police Department since 1989. His skills as an interrogator/interviewer in CID have led to many felony convictions. Kelley has specialized training in the investigation of child abuse and victimization/exploitation of children. He is a certified Computer Voice Stress Analyst (CVSA-lie detection device) and a member of the International Association of Computer Voice Stress Analysts, Inc. In 1995, he was honored with the Decatur-DeKalb Optimist Club Respect for Law Award for his dedicated service. Kelley worked as a patrol officer until he was reassigned to the Criminal Investigation Division in 1994. He previously worked as a police officer with the Daytona Beach Police Department and Volusia County Beach Police.



	Investigator Debbie Strawn was hired by the department in 1984 and promoted to Sergeant in 1990. She has received training in vehicle reconstruction and high-risk search warrant execution. In June 1995 she was transferred to the Criminal Investigation Division. She has received extensive training in burglary investigation. Strawn is the Evidence Custodian, responsible for all property turned in at the police department for safekeeping and for court cases. She also conducts the majority of the background checks for pre-employment purposes for the police department.

	Investigator Jennifer S. Ross was hired by the department in 1996 while working toward her Master's degree at Georgia State University. She was transferred to Special Units as the Business District Patrol Officer in 2000 where she worked as a uniform patrol officer in the downtown business area and gained training and experience in investigating financial crimes. Investigator Ross was reassigned to the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) in 2003 as a general investigator. She has received specialized training in credit card and check fraud, interviews and interrogations, homicide investigations, forensic interviewing of child sex abuse victims and rape and sex crimes investigations. Investigator Tim Karolyi has been employed with the City of Decatur Police Department since March 1997. Investigator Karolyi began his affiliation with the Decatur Police Department as an intern with the department, while pursuing his Bachelors of Science degree in Criminal Justice at Georgia State University. Investigator Karolyi was hired by the department after his graduation from GSU. Investigator Karolyi has served as a patrol officer, field training officer, corporal, and investigator during his tenure at the department. Investigator Karolyi was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division in 2004. Investigator William Wragg joined the Decatur Police Department in 1999. Investigator Wragg has served as an officer in the patrol division, an officer assigned to the Decatur Housing Authority patrol unit and as an investigator during his career. Investigator Wragg was promoted to Master Police Officer in 2004 and was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division in 2005. Investigator Wragg is a certified Computer Voice Stress Analysis operator. Investigator Jonathan Vandiver is a native of DeKalb County. He attended both Decatur High School and Emory University. Investigator Vandiver joined the Decatur Police Department in 2002 after his graduation from Emory University. Investigator Vandiver has served as a patrol officer, school resource officer and investigator. He was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division as an investigator in 2006. Investigator Vandiver is a certified Computer Voice Stress Analysis operator.