Vice Division

Vice Division
Common name	Vice
Abbreviation	VD
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 II

The Vice Division (VD) of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is responsible for enforcement of vice activities such as gaming, bookmaking, pornography, and prostitution. The division also investigates community problems and addresses Alcoholic Beverage Control issues, and provides oversight, training, and support to all LAPD entities regarding vice enforcement.

Organization

Administrative Section

The Administrative Section is responsible for:

• conducting divisional and special audits in conjunction with administrative projects
• coordinating divisional clerical support
• coordinating divisional training
• coordinating, procuring, returning, and maintaining a file of undercover drivers' licenses on a department-wide basis, except for the Special Operations Division and the Criminal Intelligence Division
• correlating and maintaining intelligence information related to vice activities
• issuing investigative tracking numbers for vice investigations
• maintaining a world-wide network of law enforcement agencies to assist officers and field detectives with complex investigations
• maintaining informant packages, intelligence reports, and historical information pertaining vice activities
• monitoring and dispensing Secret Service Funds for undercover and specialized investigations

Gaming Section

The Gaming Section is responsible for:

• investigating violations of gambling and bookmaking laws when the violations are of an organized nature
• maintaining liaison with the California State Lottery, and files on all lottery-related crimes which occur within the City
• maintaining liaison with the City of Los Angeles Department of Animal Services regarding dog and cock fighting
• maintaining liaison with the Commission Investigation Division for the purposes of investigations and licenses (e.g. bingo nights)

Prostitution Section

The Prostitution Section is responsible for:

• investigating massage parlors, and other sexually oriented business fronts suspected of prostitution activities
• investigating, arresting, and monitoring organized prostitution rings associated with escort services
• investigations involving pimping, pandering, where Area Vice Units lack adequate expertise, experience, or electronic equipment to complete investigations
• training and monitoring Area Vice Unit investigations to ensure adherence to department polices

Special Enforcement Section

The Special Enforcement Section is responsible for:

• advising and training employees on Conditional Use Permits and nuisance abatement revocations
• coordinating and distributing vice-related Conditional Use Permit hearing notices
• identifying problem establishments suitable for abatement procedures
• investigating violations of Alcoholic Beverage Control Act in conjunction with multi-area or multi-agency operations or when the violations are of an organized nature
• investigating violations of pornography and obscenity (including illegal pornography, obscene advertising, commercial use of a minor as a pornographic model, and commercial distribution of child sexual abuse material)
• maintaining files on all establishments subject to abatement proceedings
• maintaining liaison with Area Commanding Officers and Vice Unit Officers-in-Charge
• maintaining liaison with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) and coordinating LAPD activities when they involve joint enforcement efforts with members of the ABC
• maintaining liaison with the City Attorney's Office regarding abatement proceedings
• maintaining statistical information on abatement proceedings
• monitoring and evaluating Area vice unit investigations to ensure adherence to department's standard procedures and policies
• providing assistance and functional supervision to vice/narcotic personnel in abatement proceedings
• securing complaints from the District Attorney's Office on all felony vice arrest and crime reports made in the metropolitan area, except for complaints which are specifically assigned to be the responsibility of Area Vice Units

Vice Section

The Vice Section is responsible for:

• assisting Geographic Area Vice Units, upon request, with those operations which exceed their resources or geographic jurisdiction
• conducting audits of Area vice units
• distributing ABC license application requests
• maintaining a control log of all trap traces, pen registers, and call forwarding requests utilized by geographic Area Vice Units
• maintaining files of monthly vice arrest recaps and minutes of meetings of Area Vice Unit Officers-in-Charge
• providing abatement assistance and maintaining files and liaison of Citywide vice abatements
• providing liaison with outside entities regarding vice enforcement
• researching proposed and new legislation and developing procedures to assist in maintaining effective vice control
• reviewing all vice reports, monthly reports of Secret Service money, and bureau vice arrest and complaint summaries completed by vice personnel
• storing, maintaining, and issuing electronic equipment for day-to-day operations
• upon special request, providing the Scientific Investigation Division with electronic equipment not available through other resources

Area Vice Units

The Geographical Area Vice Units, though under the line command of the Geographical Area Commander, operate under the functional supervision of the Commanding Officer, Vice Division. Geographical Vice Units are responsible for:

• conducting preliminary and follow-up investigation of retail sales of pirated sound and video recordings
• gathering and forwarding intelligence information, when necessary
• inspecting bars, cafes, theaters, and other public places for vice activity
• investigating vice complaints, including felony 266 to 266i (California Penal Code) and misdemeanors
• investigating vice crimes, except forcible 286 and 288(a) of the California Penal Code
• suppressing vice activities

Vice interacting with MCD

In “N.S.F.W.”, it was revealed that the "Sex Crimes Unit" was investigating a porn production company specializing in "barely legal" pornography, specifically girls who just turned 18-years-old the day of filming. They were investigating if the company filmed with underaged children, or if they "practiced" with the girls before their birthdays. They were unable to find evidence of sex crimes, so they handed off the case to the Narcotics Division, hoping they would have more luck as there were indications drugs might be involved.

Known personnel

	Detective I Drew Hudson is assigned to the "Sex Crimes Unit" of the Special Enforcement Section on Major Crimes, Season 5. Det. Hudson has only been seen in “N.S.F.W.” which is the same episode in which he was murdered in. He was portrayed by Thomas Daniel Smith (at IMDb).
	Detective II Jordan Valdez is a supervisor at the "Sex Crimes Unit" of the Special Enforcement Section on Major Crimes, Season 5. Det. Valdez has only been seen in “N.S.F.W.”. She was portrayed by Romi Dias (at IMDb).

Notes

In the real world, the Vice Division was merged with the Detective Support Division in 2006 to create the new Detective Support and Vice Division (DSVD). There is no indication that this merger has happened in the Major Crimes Universe, and it's therefore presumed both Divisions continue operate separate of each other.

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