Major Incidents Divison (MID)
Voted into law by the legislature in 2022, the Major Incident Division is constructed of three investigative districts (Northern, Central, and Southern), housed in Phoenix, Arizona. Also, under the umbrella of the MID is the Scientific Analysis Bureau which is constructed of four Regional Crime Labs throughout the state (Northern, Southern, Central, and Western).
As directed by A.R.S. 41-1762D1 and D2, the MID shall:
1. Use investigators who are certified by the Arizona peace officer standards and training board or who were sworn employees of a federal, state, county or local law enforcement agency, who have demonstrated the skills, knowledge, abilities and training as approved by the director and who have successfully completed investigative courses identified by the director and approved by the Arizona peace officer standards and training board to conduct independent investigations of critical force incidents. If an investigator described in this paragraph was employed by a federal, state, county or local law enforcement agency, the investigator must:
(a) Have retired or left the law enforcement agency in good standing.
(b) Not have been under investigation at the time of retirement or resignation from the law enforcement agency.
(c) Not have retired or resigned in lieu of termination or discipline.
(d) If a veteran of the United States military, have been honorably discharged.
2. At the written request of a chief of police or a county sheriff, investigate a criminal allegation against a peace officer who is employed by the law enforcement agency.
This statute directs each law enforcement agency in this state to require the major incident division, a regional law enforcement task force or another law enforcement agency to perform the criminal investigation of any critical force incidents in this state by July 1, 2025.
