The Douglas County Sheriff's Office Investigations Division has a High Tech Crimes Unit that handles financial and computer crimes. This unit consists of a supervisor and four investigators who handle all crimes involving checks, credit cards, embezzlements, computer crimes, consumer frauds and other financial transaction crimes occurring within the county. This growing crime trend keeps investigators busy combating traveling crime families and high tech crime rings. Investigators maximize clearance rates by sharing information with other Metro area agencies and developing task forces to help with the high rate of these often multi-jurisdictional crimes.

With inexpensive technology making it easy to transfer funds, create counterfeit checks and use the anonymity of the Internet, computer crimes are occurring at an increasingly fast rate. Additionally, crimes against children have been made easier through the use of the computers, allowing predators to secretly contact juveniles over the Internet.

Keeping up with the training and technological equipment needed to successfully investigate these types of crimes put the High Tech Crime Unit in the spotlight to provide up to date investigative expertise in these areas.

The recent surge of computer and financial crimes has caused the High Tech Crimes Unit, initially housed at the Park Meadows Mall Substation, to move to a new location at the Lincoln Hills Substation in Lone Tree. This unit's focus will be on predatory computer crimes and proactive programs to combat citizen victimization.

To contact the High Tech Crimes unit call 303-784-7800.

To leave a tip on the High Tech Crimes Tip Line call 303-663-7280.

For additional information, please e-mail: dcso@douglas.co.us or for Computer Crimes e-mail: compcrimetip@douglas.co.us