Investigations

The Detectives of the Person Crimes unit are responsible for investigating and arresting individuals who commit some of society’s most heinous crimes including homicide, robbery, sexual assault, felony assaults, felony domestic violence, stalking, harassment, and crimes involving children.

This team is dedicated to ensuring no victim is forgotten or overlooked. Ad Pugnam Victimae (fighting for victims)!

The Detectives of the Property Crimes unit are responsible for investigating felony crimes including burglary, possession of stolen property, and trafficking of stolen property. They also investigate cases of auto theft, felony theft, fraud, forgery, and embezzlement.

The team works diligently to link physical evidence to suspects and arrest those suspects, providing safer neighborhoods for all Renton residents.

The Renton Police Department has a Domestic Violence Victim Advocate to provide assistance to victims who live within Renton's city limits.

The advocate can provide the victim(s) with:

• Safety planning and problem solving
• Domestic violence prevention and education
• Protection orders
• Emergency hotel shelter (short term)
• Food and clothing
• Transportation
• Interpreter services

The Domestic Violence Victim Advocate is available Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be reached at 206-715-7324 or by email.

Evidence Technicians support all work groups within the department, from crime scene processing, photography, search warrant execution, secured drug and firearm disposals, to returning property to crime victims and proper distribution of collected evidence for analysis.

In 2018, Washington State voters passed Initiative 940: the Law Enforcement Training and Community Safety Act (LETCSA). Rules set forth in the law included the creation of a community representative that would work with an independent investigative team should there be an officer involved shooting within our jurisdiction. The goal is to enhance accountability and increase trust to improve the legitimacy of policing; the members will assess whether the process of the investigation is conducted in a trustworthy manner and complies with intended standards.

Renton Police Department is actively seeking Renton residents who wish to serve on the department’s Community Representative Team (CRT). Members of this team will be tasked with reviewing all aspects of the investigation during a law-enforcement-involved shooting, ensuring that the process was done in a trustworthy manner and complies with intended standards. Volunteers are not compensated.

For information or questions, please contact Deputy Chief Jon Schuldt, (425) 430-7555 or jschuldt@rentonwa.gov

• Application

Duties

• Willingness to serve as a community representative, when called upon, following an officer-involved shooting.

• Ability to successfully complete the application and screening process which includes a criminal background check, documented proof of community involvement and/or examples of participation with local community groups.

• Ability to commit to a minimum term of three (3) years.

• Ability to attend an initial orientation and participate in on-going training (most likely evenings and/or weekends)

• Participation is voluntary and participants are not compensated.

• Sign a binding confidentiality agreement at the beginning of each use-of-deadly-force investigation that you participate in, which remains in effect until the prosecutor of jurisdiction either declines to file charges or the criminal case concludes.

• Participate in a review of the qualifications of Valley Independent Investigations Team (VIIT) investigators.

• Review a conflict-of-interest assessment tool, provided by VIIT, within 72 hours of the commencement of each investigation in which you participate.

• Attend investigative briefings by the Chief of Police.

• Review the investigative file when it is completed.

• Review press releases and other communications to the media prior their release to the public.

Selection Process

• Oral Interview: Selected applicants will be invited to an oral interview panel to review their qualifications.

• A list of applicants passing the interview and background process will be provided to the Chief of Police for final selection.

• Upon selection and acceptance, orientation and training will be scheduled.