Overview of the DPS Investigation Division

Chief & Deputy Chief

Chief Ryan Miller

Deputy Chief Mike Edgell

Overview

As part of its statutory obligations under Nevada Revised Statutes 480.400 through 480.520, and 453.271, the Nevada Department of Public Safety, Investigation Division provides criminal and administrative investigatory response to local, state, and federal law enforcement and criminal justice agencies throughout the State of Nevada.  These investigative responses include such crimes or incidents as homicide and questionable deaths, in-custody deaths, officer-involved shootings, threats against public officials and state employees, sex crimes, crimes against children, auto theft, financial crimes, election fraud, public misconduct, administrative investigations, and polygraph examinations.  The Investigation Division can serve as a force multiplier for local law enforcement agencies, and generally becomes involved in an incident following a request by the impacted agency for investigative resources and personnel. 

The Investigation Division also conducts a variety of narcotic investigations which focus on the illegal use, sales, distribution, trafficking, cultivation, or manufacture of controlled substances such as Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Heroin, and Marijuana, as well as the abuse or diversion of prescription and pharmaceutical drugs.   As part of its narcotics enforcement efforts, the Investigation Division oversees five multijurisdictional task forces throughout Nevada, which operate in partnership with the impacted local law enforcement agencies.  The Investigation Division further participates as a member in two federal drug enforcement task forces, one in Northern Nevada and one in Southern Nevada.  The Investigation Division also participates in multijurisdictional efforts to identify and eradicate illegal Marijuana grows in Nevada. 

The Investigation Division houses the Nevada Threat Analysis Center (NTAC)—Nevada’s state fusion center.  The NTAC is one of 78 federally recognized fusion centers in the United States, and is tasked to receive, analyze, disseminate, and gather information for local partners related to terrorism, organized criminal activity, and other public safety hazards.  In support of that effort, the Investigation Division has a detective assigned to the Southern Nevada Counter Terrorism Center (SNCTC), the state’s other fusion center located in Clark County, to help ensure that information sharing efforts across the state are fully integrated. 

Detectives assigned to the Investigation Division receive training in a variety of specialized areas such as drug enforcement and clandestine laboratory investigations, pharmaceutical diversion investigations, crime scene investigations, crimes against person investigations—especially in matters involving children, police integrity investigations, officer involved shooting investigations, auto theft investigations, homeland security matters, and polygraph services.

Due to the nature of its mandate, the Investigation Division’s efforts may not always be readily visible to the general public.  However, the Investigation Division remains pivotal and critical in helping our partners ensure safe and livable communities for all the citizens of Nevada.

Narcotic Task Forces

  • Carson City and Douglas County (Tri-NET Narcotic Task Force)
  • Elko (Elko Combined Narcotic Unit)
  • Ely  (Eastern Nevada Narcotic Task Force)
  • Fallon (North Central Nevada Narcotic Task Force)
  • Winnemucca (Trident Narcotic Task Force)

Major Crime Investigations

Nevada Threat Analysis Center (NTAC)

Pharmaceutical Diversion

Auto Theft

Polygraph Services

Participation in Local and Federal Law Enforcement Task Forces

  • DEA Tactical Diversion Unit
  • FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF)
  • Nevada High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA)