The Major Crimes Division is responsible for the most serious offenses committed in Queens County.  It is comprised of several bureaus and specialized units that handle violent crimes including homicides, child abuse, sex crimes, and assaults.


Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau

The Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau is responsible for prosecuting recidivist violent felons who based on their extensive criminal history are subject to enhanced sentencing.  We prosecute these repeat offenders for crimes that include: First and Second Degree Attempted Murder, First and Second Degree Robbery, First and Second Degree Burglary, First Degree Assault, First and Second Degree Kidnapping, and First and Second Degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon cases.

Violent recidivist criminals are responsible for a large percentage of the violent crime that is committed against the People of Queens County. The bureau is comprised of experienced trial prosecutors committed to the successful prosecution and enhanced sentencing of those offenders to keep the residents of Queens County safe and free from violent criminal activity.

For more information, email CareerCriminal@queensda.org or call 718.286.5905.


Forensic Science Specialist

The Forensic Science Specialist supports the forensic investigation and litigation related to nearly all criminal prosecutions at the Queens District Attorney’s Office. This specialist facilitates the presentation of forensic science evidence in the grand jury and at trial, conducts office-wide training regarding DNA, ballistic, and fingerprint evidence, collaborates with the Conviction Integrity Unit and Cold Case Homicide Unit and handles all complex Frye litigation.

The Director of the Forensic Science Specialist acts as a liaison to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner Forensic Biology and Toxicology Laboratories and the New York City Police Department Laboratory for all ballistics, latent fingerprint, and trace analysis sections. Additionally, the Director represents the Queens District Attorney at the New York State Commission of Forensic Science and DNA Subcommittee, American Academy of Forensic Sciences, the National District Attorney’s Association Forensic Science Working Group, the International Association of Chiefs of Police Forensic Science Working Group, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology Evidence Management Steering Committee.


Hate Crimes Bureau

Queens County is one of the most diverse places in the world. Shortly after being sworn into Office, Queens DA Melinda Katz created the Hate Crimes bureau, one of the first bureaus dedicated exclusively to investigating and prosecuting hate crimes in the country.

The bureau is staffed by senior and experienced attorneys who have developed expertise in handling these challenging cases. They assist in the investigation from the commencement of the investigation and work closely with the New York City Police Department’s Hate Crimes Task Force and local precincts.

Additionally, the bureau actively interacts with the community, educating people about their rights and how to protect themselves from bias-motivated crimes and encouraging reporting.

For more information, email HateCrimes@queensda.org or call 718.286.7010.


Homicide Bureau

The Homicide Bureau is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all homicides which occur in Queens County. Assistant District Attorneys assigned to the Homicide riding program are available 24 hours a day to assist the police with investigative needs and respond to thousands of notifications for assistance and inquiries each year. There are two specialized units within the Homicide Bureau: the Cold Case Unit and the Vehicular Homicide Unit.

For more information, email Homicide@queensda.org or call 718.286.5896.


Cold Case Unit

The Cold Case Unit is the first unit ever in Queens County dedicated entirely to investigating and solving the borough’s oldest and most challenging unsolved homicide cases. The unit uses groundbreaking forensic testing and cutting-edge investigative techniques to examine unsolved crimes to bring long-awaited justice to victims and their families.

Click here to view current cold cases.


 

Vehicular Homicide Unit

The investigation and prosecution of vehicular homicides is a high priority for District Attorney Katz. This unit oversees the investigation and prosecution of all motor vehicle collisions where a person is killed or seriously injured, whether pedestrian, cyclist or motorist. Assistants assigned to this unit receive specialized training in the investigation of vehicular crimes and work closely with the Collision Investigation Squad of the NYPD.