The Vancouver Police Department’s cybercrimes unit has been given authority to pursue federal charges in certain cases, a move that will take pressure off the lone special agent assigned to support the department as part of the federal Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
The department has participated in the task force for 15 years, and a quarter of city cases — mostly child pornography and sexual exploitation of minors — are eligible for federal prosecution, according to a staff report City Manager Eric Holmes prepared for the city council.
Under a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, members of the cybercrimes unit will have the authority to access federal databases and conduct interstate investigations. They’ll work with federal prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney General’s office to have cases filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, which has courthouses in Tacoma and Seattle.
The department has similar agreements with the federal government to investigate regional gang and drug crimes.
“These federal partnerships have provided Vancouver Police with top-level training, technology and support for VPD cases, while we have seen significant improvements in federal prosecution success, sentencing terms and release conditions, which have reduced future risk to our community,” Holmes wrote in his report.
The city council voted 6-0 Monday to approve the agreement. Councilor Bart Hansen was absent.
Vancouver police Lt. Doug Luse, who oversees investigations, said the cybercrimes/missing persons unit has three forensic examiners, three detectives and one sergeant.
Typically, felony crimes investigated by the police department are forwarded to the Clark County Prosecutor’s Office, which files the charges in Clark County Superior Court.
If convicted, defendants are sentenced under state guidelines.
Luse said defendants can face harsher sentences in federal court.
Under the agreement, Vancouver officers will have access to federal resources, training and support at no cost to the city.
Luse told council members the agreement gives police more tools to “put these predators behind bars.”
