LANCASTER – Authorities in Fairfield County say they will hire a special victims detective who will specialize in investigations of sex crimes and child abuse for the sheriff’s office.
Special victims cases have nearly doubled in the past 10 years and child abuse cases have gone up more than 60 percent, over the past 10 years, Steve Davis, president of the county Board of Commissioners, said.
The County Commissioners and Sheriff Dave Phalen say the Special Victims Detective will specialize in investigations of sex crimes and child abuse.
“Special victims cases involve traumatized victims who have suffered horrific torments. We will be seeking a candidate with the ability to show sympathy and support for the victims while retaining objectivity and an ability to focus clearly on facts,” Davis said.
There has been a steady increase in special victims cases for the Detective Bureau in Phalen’s office, increasing about 83 percent in the past decade with child abuse referrals increasing 61 percent during the same time frame, Davis said.
The special victims detective will assess crime scenes, interview witnesses, work with crime scene investigators and pursue leads to identify suspects. The detective will also testify in criminal trials, explaining to juries how investigations developed, and present an overview of evidence.
The recruitment and training of the new detective will begin in the first quarter of 2020 with the job being posted internally within Phalen’s office in February.