Bureau of Criminal Investigation
The Bureau of Criminal Investigation is staffed by detectives
and serves as the investigative arm of the department. It is the mission of the BCI
to conduct follow-up investigations of crimes initially investigated by patrol officers
and to perform full investigations of serious felonies such as homicide, rape, robbery and
drug trafficking.
The BCI also provides support services to the department's other divisions. Examples of these services include latent print processing, photography, interview assistance and composite sketches of suspects.
The BCI is the administrative lead agency of the NORPAC Task Force. NORPAC was formed in 1987 under a grant from the US Bureau of Justice Assistance, a branch of the Department of Justice. It provides for multi-agency investigations into drug trafficking, violent crime and the apprehension of fugitives. NORPAC's member agencies include the police departments of Norwood, Canton, Dedham, Foxborough, Medfield, Milton, Needham, Norfolk, Plainville, Sharon, Stoughton, Walpole, Wellesley, Westwood and Wrentham.
Detective Sergeant Robert W. Rinn is the commander of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
Det. Sergt. Rinn was appointed to his current position in December of 2001.
He is a veteran of 27 years in law enforcement. He began with the Dedham
Police Department before joining the Norwood Police Department in 1982. He was
promoted to Sergeant in 1987 and has served on all shifts and has developed a wide variety
of expertise.
Detective David Milligan is the
department's court prosecutor. He is responsible for the preparation and
presentation of all the department's criminal cases at the District and Superior Courts of
Norfolk County.
Both courts are located in the Town of Dedham. Detective Milligan is a 23 year veteran and a
graduate of the State Police Academy.
Detective Peter Curran is assigned
to the day shift. Along with his investigative duties, he serves as the
department's Elder Affairs Officer. Detective Curran is an academy instructor and
lectures at police academies throughout Massachusetts. He is a member of the
Attorney General's Hate Crimes Task Force and is a featured instructor at the Norwood
Citizen Police Academy. Detective Curran is a 2 year veteran.
Detective David Papargiris is assigned to the
day shift. A 18 year veteran, Detective Papargiris is a
graduate of the MCJTC Police Academy. Among other assignments, Det.
Papargiris and handles the Bureau's investigations of computer
crime. He is the leader of the Metrolec Computer Crimes Investigative
segment, assisting 47 towns in tracking down thieves and pedophiles that use
computers to facilitate their criminal practices.
Detective Maureen Murphy-Payne
is assigned to the evening shift. In her sixth year as
a detective after 16 years in patrol, she brings a wealth of experience and qualifications
to the job. Det. Murphy-Payne holds a Master's Degree in Law Enforcement from
Westfield State College. She is a graduate of the Brookline Police Academy and a
veteran of the United States Marine Corps. Before joining the Norwood Police Department,
Maureen worked five years in the Commonwealth's corrections system.
Detective
Paul Ryan is assigned to the evening shift.
He is also the
Town of Norwood's Alcohol Beverage Control Officer. In that capacity, he
conducts annual inspections of all of Norwood's restaurants, lounges and package
stores and coordinates the prosecution of liquor violations. Three years ago, he was assigned to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Paul is a graduate of
the Mass Criminal Justice Training Council Academy at Canton. He holds a Master's
Degree in Law Enforcement from Western New England College. He served eight years in
patrol before his recent promotion. Paul served three years in the United States
Army.
Over the last ten years, Norwood detectives have been addressing drug addiction in a new way. Instead of waiting for a drug addict to get arrested, detectives approach him or her in an open and up-front way and discuss the addiction. The goal of the technique is to get addicts to seek treatment.
Detectives began using the unusual approach in 1992 as heroin started filtering into the region. They were hearing about people becoming addicted and were beginning to make arrests. The cases against the addicts took several months before they reached court and many addicts continued to use heroin while their cases were pending. Detectives would also hear about drug users who were newly addicted and had not yet been arrested. In order to make a more effective impact on the new heroin trend, they decided to try something novel.
The first interventions were done following the arrests of dealers or in conjunction with investigations into overdose deaths. Detectives approached known addicts, even though probable cause to arrest had not yet developed, and encouraged them to seek treatment before the addiction got any worse. Somewhat surprisingly, many addicts admitted they needed help and welcomed the assistance offered by the detectives. Detectives soon became familiar with the various treatment facilities in eastern Massachusetts and with the modalities used by each.
In those early days, two people stepped forward to offer encouragement and assistance: Norwood's substance abuse counselor Pete Wall, (since retired) and Harriet Beasley, the First Assistant Chief Probation Officer of the Dedham District Court. Both helped get addicts into treatment facilities, made referrals to inpatient and outpatient programs and individually counseled addicts who needed it. Ms. Beasley also worked with addicts who had cases pending. Ms. Beasley still works in partnership with Norwood detectives helping people addicted to drugs and alcohol find treatment.
Over the years, the BCI has attracted a great deal of attention for its innovative approach to drug addiction. Detectives have conducted training sessions for other law enforcement agencies and addressed gatherings of medical professionals. In April of 1996, the Boston Globe ran an article about the technique on its front page. Today, detectives and patrol officers use the intervention technique to assist a wide range of people. It is not unusual for officers to receive cards and letters of thanks from recovering addicts and their families. It is rewarding for detectives to see people working and living in the community who stopped using drugs years ago due at least in part to their work and the work of Mr. Wall and Ms. Beasley.
People who need information about drug or alcohol treatment may call the BCI at 781-440-5190 or Rita McCarthy 781-329-4777, ext. 400
(Chief Probation Officer Dedham District Court)