Serious Crime Task Force to have 38 detectives to tackle major incidents Arrests made during Operation Dimension: Picture: Wayne Breese Source: adelaidenow A NEW task force that responds instantly to serious crime is at the centre of the biggest restructure of key police crime units in 20 years. The new Serious Crime Task Force will have 38 detectives available to tackle major incidents and crime series, ranging from serious home invasions, shootings and armed robberies to extortion and drug trafficking. The move follows a major internal review that found responses for investigating serious crimes could be improved and identified overlaps in the investigation of drug and organised crime. Once operational, the Serious Crime Task Force will have the capacity to respond rapidly to a major incident in the crucial hours and days that follow, eliminating the time lag that can occur now. This is the result of senior police having to second officers from suburban CIB units to investigate the crime - or re-allocate it to another area. A typical example of the type of crime previously managed by local CIB units that would be a prime investigation for allocation to the new task force was the shooting of former Finks bikie Mark Sandery's son in late 2011. That inquiry was initially conducted by Port Adelaide CIB detectives for several days until it was upgraded and taken over by the Crime Gangs Task Force. In future, such investigations are likely to be immediately investigated by the new task force. Acting Police Commissioner Grant Stevens yesterday said he was confident the move would result in a faster, more efficient response. "The review supported some concerns we had in that there was somewhat of a gap in relation to crimes that don't fit comfortably with the Local Service Area CIB units and they were not immediately evident as either bikie, drug or organised crime related," Mr Stevens said. A good example would be either an extortion or one such as the crime series we encountered with the aggravated home invasions late last year. We will have the capability to literally put dozens of detectives into such an investigation in a matter of hours if the incident warrants that attention from the outset. In response to that spate of home invasions in October and November last year, in which a gang targeted drug users and robbed them, police formed a task force - dubbed Operation Zeal. The task force comprised 14 hand-picked detectives from suburban CIB units. That in turn placed pressure on those units to manage daily workloads with fewer detectives after officers were seconded. Operation Counteract, which has successfully investigated most armed robberies since it was formed in late 1997, will cease, with its role now absorbed by the Serious Crime Task Force. The restructure will see the creation of the Serious and Organised Crime Branch within SAPOL's crime service. The branch will comprise the Drug and Organised Crime Task Force, the new Serious Crime Task Force and the existing Crime Gangs Task Force. The restructure will result in five fewer commissioned officers and senior supervising detectives, but an extra 15 investigators' positions will be created. Mr Stevens said he believed bringing three existing investigative units under one umbrella would result in a "more co-ordinated" approach against organised crime groups. He said: "We identified we have three separate branches that were all doing good work, but there was an overlap - a common, regular overlap - regarding the criminal entities they were working on. A classic example is a bikie who is involved in drugs and is recognised as a significant organised-crime figure. Right now, we have three separate branches all focusing on serious and high level crime. Inevitably there is a crossover of suspects and commodities. The new structure will allow us to identify this immediately and respond accordingly. We will be investigating the same people, using the same investigative techniques, we will have a better sharing of information and intelligence within the new branch, and we will be more responsive. Last October and November, an armed gang committed home invasions in the northern suburbs, demanding illicit drugs, money, jewellery or other property. Police launched Operation Zeal, using up to 14 detectives seconded from Local Service Areas, to apprehend the gang. This created resourcing pressures on the suburban CIB units. Nineteen arrests were made. The Serious Crime Task Force would handle an investigation like this from the outset. In January last year, Elizabeth CIB detectives discovered several V8 engines stolen from GMH at Elizabeth. Operation Echidna was launched. Up to seven detectives were seconded from suburban CIB units for the 14-month operation that resulted in seven people being arrested and charged. Investigations were conducted across SA, Queensland, Victoria and NSW. If such a racket were to be discovered in future, it would be investigated by the Serious Crime Task Force because of its scope and the resources it required. In late 2009, police mounted Operation Dimension in response to several armed hold-ups. The robberies went on for two months and 14 were attributed to one group of offenders. The investigation involved many investigative areas, including Operation Mandrake and local CIB detectives working with, or seconded to, Organised Crime. The operation resulted in the arrest of eight people, including two suspects who fled to Victoria. Now, any such armed robbery sprees are likely to be investigated by the Serious Crime Task Force.