Grand Opening of the LAPD & FBI Homicide Library;LAPD Murder Investigation Books NA19139sf

WHAT: News Conference and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to open the doors of the LAPD & FBI Homicide Library

WHEN: Wednesday, October 2, 2019 11:45 a.m. News Conference Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Tour of the LAPD & FBI Homicide Library

WHERE: Los Angeles Police Department Ahmanson Recruit Training Center (ARTC) 5651 W. Manchester Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90045 (In front near Memorial Monument)

WHO: LAPD Chief of Police Michel Moore Mr. Bill Ahmanson, Ahmanson Foundation FBI Special Agent in Charge Voviette D. Morgan, Los Angeles Field Office LAPD Deputy Chief Kris Pitcher, Commanding Officer, Detective Bureau LAPD Commander Anne Clark, Detective Services Group Los Angeles Police Foundation Chairman Jeffrey Neu Doctor Craig Uchida, Justice & Safety Strategies Incorporated Doctor Jeff Brantingham, University of California Los Angeles Professor John Poladin, Loyola Marymount University Mrs. LaWanda Hawkins, founder of Justice for Murdered Children Mr. Michael Connelly Author, executive producer of television drama Bosch and host of the Podcast “Murder Book” LAPD Homicide Detectives

WHY: To formally open and dedicate the LAPD & FBI Homicide Library.

OVERVIEW: In 2012, the LAPD and FBI partnered to retrieve solved and unsolved LAPD homicide books in Operations-South Bureau (OSB), in effort to leverage technology to solve cold cases, by piloting a system to digitize the paper homicide records. The initiative allowed detectives to digitally access older cases to obtain investigative leads to apprehend suspects and to bring justice for the families of murder victims.

Due to the success of this initiative in OSB, construction of a 7,300-square foot Homicide Library was commenced and has now been completed, allowing the LAPD to move forward with the city-wide systematic retrieval, transfer and digitalization of murder case books in effort to solve cold case homicides.

The establishment of the Homicide Library will help increase productivity on unsolved cases, establish a systematic method of review for older cases, create a centralized database for housing murder books and providing better service to victims’ families and loved ones.

The establishment and construction of the Homicide Library was made possible by partnering with the FBI and by generous donations from the Los Angeles Police Foundation and the Ahmanson Foundation. In addition, Dr. Craig Uchida, Justice & Security Strategies and Dr. Jeff Brantingham, UCLA, are conducting research on over 4,500 digitized murder books to identify methodologies that can be used to enhance the investigative process in the future. The Homicide Library will have space to house more than15,000 murder cases.

“As Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, I have been committed to working closely with our federal partners in addressing unsolved murders and helping to bring closure to victim’s families and the communities we serve” said LAPD Chief Michel Moore. “I am very pleased with the utilization of technology to improve service and with our continued relationship with the FBI, Los Angeles Police Foundation and the Ahmanson Foundation in the fight against crime in Los Angeles. I will continue my commitment to reduce crime in our communities and to vigorously pursue investigative leads to solve homicides in the City.”

VISUALS: Tours of the LAPD & FBI Homicide Library, including hundreds of LAPD Homicide Investigation Books.

CONTACT: For more information, please contact Detective II Olivia Chavez, Detective Bureau, at 424-393-4784, or Police Officer Sara Faden, Chief of Staff, at 213-841-2064.