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.
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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.