Federal Grants Help LAPD Detectives Solve Cold Cases

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Kashmier James was visiting friends on Christmas night last year when she was shot dead in front of her 3-year-old daughter. For months, police had no leads and her murder became a "cold case".

But this August officials tracked down three suspects in James's death.

KNX 1070 Reports

The Los Angeles Police Department have made 110 arrests in connection with cold cases in a matter of months. LAPD Chief Charlie Beack said it has been a remarkable turnaround that was made possible because of a special task force and grant money provided by the federal government.

"The results are nothing short of amazing," Beck said. "Fifty cases -- 5-0 -- homicide cases were solved during that three-month period."

The federal government supplied the LAPD with 10 FBI agents and $500,000 to help galvanize their department in solving a stack of unsolved crimes.

Detective Sal LaBarbera, who heads the Watts homicide squad, said the assistance helped the LAPD boost its clearance rate by 26 percent -- which means they were able to file that many more charges for recorded crimes.

Beck said the extra money and the added agents made officers the question of overtime a non-issue. For the past three months, officers have been approved to work the extra hours needed to make big breaks in unsolved cases.

The LAPD said they are filing a request to extend the program.