Robbery-Homicide Division

Robbery-Homicide Division
Common name	Robbery-Homicide
Abbreviation	RHD
Organizational structure
Part of	Los Angeles Police Department Office of Operations Detective Bureau
Headquarters	Police Administration Building, 100 West 1st Street, Los Angeles
Command staff
Commanding Officer	Captain III

The Robbery-Homicide Division (RHD) of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) investigates select homicides, threats against officers, bank robberies and other selected robberies, extortions, sex crimes, and kidnappings on a citywide basis.

RHD in the Major Crimes Universe

In the Major Crimes Universe, the Major Crimes Division (MCD) has taken over many of RHD's original (and real life) duties. This caused many problems in the beginning between RHD and the Priority Homicide Division (which later became the Major Crimes Division), as RHD was unaccepting of the new division which began to assimilate RHD's investigative responsibilities into itself. In the beginning, both divisions often responded to the same investigation, which usually resulted in RHD being forced to leave the scene, causing more disdain for the new division. It appears that this interdepartmental rivalry has since been resolved and both divisions seem to accept their position within the LAPD. Additionally, the Special Investigation Section, which is a part of RHD in real life, is a part of the Special Operations Bureau in the Major Crimes Universe.

When the Priority Homicide Division was disbanded following a damaging news article about the division, it was mentioned that Priority Homicide handled more white murder victims than Robbery-Homicide, confirming that RHD still retains some investigative responsibilities relating to homicides. In another case, Brenda could be heard defending RHD to a reporter, stating that she's sure RHD is doing everything they can, though the reporter noted that where Priority Homicide has six detectives per homicide investigation, on average, RHD has only 1,5 (meaning most RHD investigations are conducted by just one detective).

It also appears that the real life Robbery Special Section and Homicide Special Section are merged into one section (presumably the "Robbery-Homicide Special Section"), as detectives are known to interchangeably investigate homicides as well as robberies. This merger has presumably happened because Major Crimes has assimilated enough of their investigative responsibilities, and thereby reducing their required staffing, to no longer make their separation necessary.

At times over the series', Major Crimes is mentioned asking for information on open cases from Robbery-Homicide and then effectively taking them over due to the cases tying into their own case in some manner. During Season 5 of Major Crimes, Lieutenant Provenza gets Buzz Watson the Robbery-Homicide case files on the unsolved murders of his father and uncle so that he can finally get justice.

In the five part "Hindsight" arc, its revealed that in 2004, Michael Tao, Stephanie Dunn and Mark Hickman were all detectives working in Robbery-Homicide when Police Officer Malcolm Reese was murdered by Daniel Price, an event later known as the "Reese Murders". Russell Taylor also mentions that he was the Captain of RHD during this time. Tao, Dunn, and Hickman investigated the case, but after Hickman's perjury cost the LAPD the case and the murders of DDA Rachel Gray and her bodyguard Eric Dunn, Hickman was fired. Stephanie subsequently transferred to the Narcotics Division. By 2005, in “The Closer (Pilot)”, Tao had been promoted to Lieutenant and hand-selected (by Taylor) to join the Priority Murder Squad of RHD, which later became the Priority Homicide Division (and even later the Major Crimes Division).

Investigative sections

Robbery-Homicide Special Section

The Robbery-Homicide Special Section (RHSS) is responsible for investigating the following on a citywide basis:

Robbery-related responsibilities

• extortions by any means, including explosives, involving an adult or juvenile victim or suspect and the extortion is directed against a bank, bank employee, bank messenger, federally insured credit union, savings and loan institution, or armored car facility
• extortions or threats of extortion when:
  • a prolonged investigation is required, and
  • the extortion does not involve a juvenile as the suspect or victim, and
  • the suspect has threatened to do unlawful injury to the person or property of another
• incidents involving smuggled, undocumented persons when kidnaps and extortions are involved
• kidnappings when:
  • a prolonged investigation is required or the investigative resources required exceed geographic Area detective division capabilities, or
  • a ransom demand is anticipated or has been made, or
  • the facts indicate a connection to a major citywide problem, or
  • there is the potential for serious bodily injury or death
• robberies of banks, bank employees, customers followed from banks, bank messengers, credit unions, savings and loan institutions, or armored car facility and the investigation of ATM robberies
• selected robberies where a prolonged investigation is required or the investigative personnel required exceed geographic Area detective divisions resources

Homicide-related responsibilities

• any homicide investigation assigned by the Chief of Detectives or by the Commanding Officer, RHD
• homicides involving:
  • arson as the manner of death
  • serial killers
  • sexual assault (indicators of sexually related homicide may include: the victim's attire or lack thereof, exposure of the victim's sexual parts, sexual positioning of the body, insertion of foreign objects into the victim's body cavities, evidence of sexual intercourse, and/or evidence of substitute sexual activity, interest or sadistic fantasy)
• homicides where a prolonged investigation is required or the investigative resources required exceeds Geographic Area Detective Division's capabilities
• illegal abortions (Abortion is legal in California with three notable restrictions: (1) a person cannot get an abortion for a “viable” fetus, which is generally some point between week 24 and 28, unless the mother's health is at risk if the pregnancy proceeds; (2) a person may not get an abortion performed by an unqualified professional; and (3) pursuant to Family Code section 6925, a minor may consent to medical care related to the prevention or treatment of pregnancy, but may not get an abortion without the consent of a parent or guardian other than as provided in Section 123450 of the Health and Safety Code.)
• outside law enforcement agency shootings that occur on and off duty, in the City limits, and in accordance with Mutual Aid Agreements
• requests for assistance from area detectives
• threats against sworn employees resulting from the course and scope of their duties

The Gang Homicide Unit (GHU) targets specific gangs and their involvement with certain criminal activity including, but not limited to, murder and other associated gang related crimes. The GHU has specific knowledge of and experience with federal Racketeering Influence Corrupt Organization (RICO) prosecutions, and a great deal of experience in preparing court orders and search warrants to obtain business and telephone records related to Dialed Number Recorders (DNR), cell site towers, cell phone tracking, text message retrieval, and state and federal wiretap applications.

In addition, the section also coordinates all live line-ups, and reviews all murder follow-up reports submitted for clearance as "cleared other" in addition to performing directed, periodic audits of divisional murder books, and reviews of select investigations and/or case-specific habeas corpus issues. The section is also responsible for providing personnel to accompany VIPs visiting the City in order to have investigative expertise immediately available should the need arise.

Special Assault Section

The Special Assault Section (SAS) is notified when any of the following crimes are committed in the city, but it only assumes investigative responsibility at the discretion of the Commanding Officer, RHD:

• "cold case" sexual assaults (defined as any unsolved sexual assault in the city that was committed more than two years ago, and has no significant leads, and is no longer being actively investigated by Area or Bureau detectives based on a lack of solvability factors and/or workload)
• serial sexual assaults
• sexual assaults committed by a stranger when a firearm is seen
• sexual assaults committed by a stranger where the victim is admitted to a hospital due to injuries sustained during the assault
• sexual assaults committed by a stranger where the victim is kidnapped by being forced into a vehicle and transported to a secondary location
• sexual assaults during:
  • business burglary
  • home invasion robbery
  • hot prowl burglary
• sexual assaults where the identity of the victim or suspect is of a high profile nature

A "cold case" sexual assault is defined as any unsolved sexual assault in the city that was committed more than two years ago, and has no significant leads, and is no longer being actively investigated by Area or Bureau detectives based on a lack of solvability factors and/or workload.

Cold Case Homicide Special Section

The Cold Case Homicide Special Section (CCHSS) is primarily responsible for the following:

• investigating or assigning cold DNA "hit" cases citywide
• screening select cases and identifying solvability factors
• submitting annual requests for grant funds to the National Institute of Justice
• submitting requests to Scientific Investigation Division for various types of analysis

A "cold case" homicide is defined as any unsolved homicide in the city that was committed more than five years ago, and has no significant leads, and is no longer being actively investigated by Area or Bureau detectives based on a lack of solvability factors and/or workload.

Known personnel

Commanding Officer

The Commanding Officer of the Robbery-Homicide Division is currently unknown.

Captain Russell Taylor was the Commanding Officer of the Robbery-Homicide Division during The Closer, Season 1. For Season 2, Taylor was promoted to Commander and he transferred to be the LAPD's Operations Coordinator.

Other personnel

	Lieutenant Andy Flynn is assigned to RHD on The Closer, Season 1. Originally a supporter of Taylor, he was "loaned" to Priority Homicide by Taylor in order to undermine Brenda. In “Fatal Retraction”, when one of Flynn's old cases was re-investigated and Taylor was prepared to throw him under the bus for misidentifying the victim, he requested a permanent transfer to Priority Homicide.
	Lieutenant Waters is assigned to RHD on “The Closer (Pilot)”. Waters was indicated to be subordinate to Lt. Flynn, even though they were both Lieutenants. He was portrayed by Julius Tennon (at IMDb).
	Detective Ross is assigned to RHD on The Closer, Seasons 1–4. He is a staunch supporter of Cmdr. Taylor and is also occasionally loaned to the Priority Homicide Division when Cmdr. Taylor is put in charge temporarily for various reasons.
	Detective McHale is assigned to RHD on The Closer, Season 2. He was temporarily assigned to the Priority Homicide Division in “Serving the King (Part 1)” during Taylor's brief command of the Division. He was portrayed by Brady Smith (at IMDb).
	Detective Mikki Mendoza is assigned to RHD on The Closer, Season 6. She transferred to RHD from the Special Investigation Section.
	Detective Miller is assigned to RHD on Major Crimes, Season 1. Det. Miller has only been seen in “Reloaded”. He was portrayed by Vyto Ruginis (at IMDb).

See also

• Robbery-Homicide Division/Real LAPD

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