The Neighborhood Investigative Resource Officer (NIRO) program was formed during the summer of 1992 by a Spokane Police Department Detective in order to promote "ownership" of specific geographic boundaries. The NIRO program has been successful with both the Detectives who participated in it and the citizens they served. However, due to staffing shortages, detectives are now assigned to general geographic areas of the city as opposed to specific neighborhoods. NIRO's work closely with Neighborhood Resource Officers (NROs), COPS shop volunteers, community members, and Juvenile and Adult Corrections Officers.

If you are a victim of Burglary or Theft, please fill out the Stolen Property Report and submit to Spokane Police Department Records Division to be included with the incident report.  Please fill out the form as completely as possible so that your property may be returned to you if found in the future.  Mail completed form to:  Spokane Police Department-Records Division; 1100 W Mallon; Spokane, WA 99260.

Cases are assigned to detective by priority and workability.  You can call the Investigative Division between 8:30 am - 4:00 pm Monday - Friday at 625-4200.

The Domestic Violence Detectives Division will review your report in an effort to identify information, which may lead to an arrest and for further investigation. If any property was taken from you for an investigation, you will get it back when it is no longer needed for the case. If you have additional information about your case, please report it to Crime Check. Have your report number with you when you call. 456-2233

Information about shelters and alternatives to domestic violence is available from a statewide 24-hour toll free hotline at 1-800-562-6025. The battered women’s shelter and other resources in your area are:

• Victim Resources……………………………1-866-751-7119
• Sexual Assault/Family Trauma…………….. 624-7273
• YWCA Domestic Violence 24-Hour………. 326-CALL
• Domestic Violence Court Advocates………. 835-4540
• Domestic Violence Team…………………... 835-4500
• Spokane Mental Health Crisis line………….838-4428
• Child Protective Services…………………... 363-3333
• Adult Protective Services…………………... 323-9400
• Elderly Services……………………………. 458-7450

Protection Orders

There are several different types of orders. The on duty desk officer will be able to assist you with determining which order best suits your needs.  The SPD Front Desk is located at the Public Safety Building, 1100 W. Mallon, staffed between 8:30 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday.  Once an order is in effect, to obtain personal property so as not to violate the order, you will have to contact a clerk at the court windows located at the Public Safety Building. Please ask for a Modification of the Order to allow Law Enforcement to stand by while you retrieve your belongings.  This then needs to be signed by a Judge. These hearings are held between 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm, Monday – Friday.  If you wish to have an order dropped, you need to ask for a Modification to terminate the Order, which again needs to be signed by a judge.

If violence is occurring right now, call 911.  The City and County have formed a Regional Domestic Violence Team. The team has advocates to help you with relocation, protection orders, court hearings, and counselors.   They are located at 901 N. Monroe. You can call them at (509) 835-4500.

Today, the Fraud Unit has five detectives and investigates a wide range of fraud activities. One detective specializes in computer forensics while the others investigate case involving forgery, credit card fraud, embezzlement, identity theft as well as elder abuse. Three senior volunteers are assigned to the unit and are invaluable as they are diligent in their efforts to locate video surveillance, pick up evidence, display montages and meet numerous requests by detectives and from the public. Quite often they are the first to notice fraud trends through their numerous contacts with the public. They never fail to alert the fraud detectives of their observations.

The fraud unit focuses on the individuals or groups who are committing most of the crimes. Recently a supervisor entered the Fraud Unit with a small request, “Would one of you look at this case…it is just a simple forgery.” He was shocked when the detectives practically ducked for cover. Detective Anderson made the analogy that a simple forgery is similar to a shaken can of soda pop. Frequently a simple forgery evolves into a complex spider web of methamphetamine addicts involved in vehicle thefts and prowlings, burglaries, mail theft, forgeries, distribution of meth and identity theft. These cases can quickly overwhelm the unit.

The detectives work closely with the prosecutor’s office to “point up” an offender, which means allowing the suspect to plead to nine felony counts for minimal jail time. As a result the offender’s next felony conviction – even a $4 forgery at the latte stand can result in substantial jail time.

The fraud unit has become an informal resource for SPD, SCSO, Secret Service and other local, state and federal agencies. Through their investigations they have developed contacts with most of the financial institutions, retailers and government agencies throughout the region. Rarely does a day go by without someone stopping by the fraud unit asking for assistance locating a contact person, identifying a suspect or researching databases. The fraud detectives regularly provide training on Identity Theft, Fraud Investigations and Elder Abuse to other law enforcement agencies, attorneys, and a variety of other groups.

For additional information on resources available to victims of fraud and how to prevent becoming a vicitim of identity theft, please reference the below documents (PDF Format).  You may also view the Fraud Public Service Annoucements, which will require Windows Media Player:  

ID Theft Affidavit

ID Theft Victim Information

SPD Theft Dispute Letter

Theft Prevention Resources

Fraud Public Service Announcement One

Fraud Public Service Announcement Two

Spokane Police Department Fraud Unit is working hard on obtaining the latest information regarding Fraud Scams.  As the Unit learns about each scam, detectives will list helpful information on this site.  If you need further information, please visit the www.fakechecks.org website. 

• Always thank the store clerk who asks for your ID when you write a check. Let them know you appreciate their diligence. Consider complaining to the clerks who don’t check ID.
• Clean out your wallet, purse, glove box, and home of unnecessary financial or identification items
• Buy a cross cut document shredder and USE it to shred above documents.
• Leave your SSN card in a safe place & never carry it with you. You only need it when you get a new job, a passport or win over $10,000 gambling!
• Remove your name from pre approved credit card offers (www.OptOutPrescreen.com) and from phone solicitation lists (www.donotcall.gov)
• Never give out personal or financial information via the phone, Internet or US Mail unless you initiate the contact.
• Always ask yourself “Is this too good to be true?” Visit www.lookstoogoodtobetrue.com

Target Crimes is joining forces with the Anti-Crime Team (PACT) in Patrol to form a combined cross-divisional focus effort for the resolution of hot spot crime identification, isolation and resolution.