Narcotics Unit
The Oxnard Police Department contributes to two efforts in the fight against narcotics–the Street Narcotics Detail, and its participation in the Ventura County Combined Agencies Team.
Street Narcotics Detail
The Streets Narcotics Detail consists of four detectives and a sergeant. The mission of this group is “To provide the citizens of Oxnard with prompt, courteous, and professional service. To work as partners with the community regarding narcotic-related criminal activity resulting in a better quality of life.” The narcotics investigators are also tasked with following up on complaints of narcotics activity and handled 167 of these reports in 2013. During 2013, this detail served 54 search warrants and made 108 arrests for narcotics and vice-related violations.
Ventura County Combined Agencies Team
The Ventura County Combined Agencies Team, or VCAT, is a multi-agency taskforce developed to target major drug traffickers and interdict the impact of drugs in our community. The taskforce is comprised of two teams of investigators each supervised by a sergeant. Teams are currently staffed by members of the Oxnard Police Department, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The task force collaborates with many other local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. By combining personnel and working together, the task force can target mid to high level drug traffickers, which generally involves lengthy and sophisticated investigations. Targeting major drug traffickers involves identifying sources of supply and working up their organizational structure to arrest and convict all of the individuals playing critical roles. VCAT members are also responsible for the investigation, dismantling, and processing of clandestine labs encountered in the county.