High Tech Crimes Unit on the chopping block because of budget concerns

by John Paul (jpaul@wsbt.com)

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The High Tech Crimes Unit fights online sexual predators

The St. Joseph County prosecutor's office announced it will be forced to eliminate the High Tech Crimes Unit, which investigates crimes against children online, as a result of county budget cuts. (WSBT file photo)

By WSBT News1

Story Created: Aug 21, 2008 at 4:48 PM EST

Story Updated: Aug 25, 2008 at 10:12 PM EST

ST. JOSEPH CO. -- The calculators on the table inside the St. Joseph County commissioners' conference room were kept busy during Thursday's budget hearings.

The county has been looking for ways to save $6 million.

With dozens of pages of documents featuring numbers comparing this year's spending versus last year, including charts and graphs, the St. Joseph County prosecutor's office took the stage.

They announced one of the first cuts from their department, come January 1, 2009, will be the High Tech Crimes Unit.

"What they are doing is so significant and so important," Prosecutor Mike Dvorak told the commissioners.

Dvorak argued the unit was instrumental in nabbing a student planning a Columbine-style attack at Penn High School. But next year, two staff members from that unit and their vehicle will be gone.

"The reason that it was done, however, is because so much of the investigations that they do pertain to areas outside of St. Joseph County," Dvorak told WSBT News.

The crime unit was also heavily involved in detecting crimes against children online.

"I have to focus my budget resources and the money the county affords me to run our office for crimes committed here in St. Joseph County," said Dvorak.

County Commissioner Steve Ross questions the office's duplication.

"We have 12 detectives, we have a South Bend police force and he's creating his own inspectors, his own police force," said Ross.

During the hearing, Ross was critical of the office's spending on cars and salaries.

Ross said, "It's not public safety; it's top heavy. I think it's an important thing to recognize."

Dvorak believes the area is losing a great resource. He said, "The citizens of St. Joseph County have benefited from this program, as well as the citizens across the state of Indiana."

Dvorak told commissioners he is not changing the part of his staff that's involved in prosecuting criminals. He says, losing the High Tech Crimes Unit puts public safety at risk.

Ross though, doesn't buy that.

"Public safety is not the issue here, this is greed," said Ross. "Their demands will mean people losing their livelihood from other departments — that's unconscionable."

Dvorak said he is working with the High Tech Crimes Unit and other communities and law enforcement agencies to secure funding for the taskforce.

Twenty percent of the unit's cases were handled outside of St. Joseph County.

Meanwhile, child support officials met with commissioners. Ross addressed concerns about the amount of turnover in that department. Department leaders blame low salaries.

They also say their agents currently see about 350 new cases per month. They believe with that amount of new case loads every day, the department can't afford to cut employees.

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