The San Mateo County District Attorney's Office Bureau of Investigation is currently comprised of 17 inspectors who conduct a wide variety of criminal investigations. All inspectors are sworn peace officers under 830.1 PC and have extensive investigative experience. The Bureau of Investigation is comprised of two divisions, the General Criminal Division, and the Special Operations Division. The Chief Inspector oversees the operation of the Bureau, and two Senior Inspectors supervise each division within the Bureau.
The General Criminal Division is responsible for investigating claims of the following types of crimes:
Misconduct by public officials, officer involved critical incidents including officer involved shootings, in-custody deaths, claims of unlawful excessive force, complex investigations to include homicide, sexual assault, kidnapping, embezzlement of public funds, parental child abductions, abuse of the judicial process including perjury, intimidation of witnesses, falsifying evidence, conspiracy to obstruct justice, as well as consumer and environmental crimes.
The Special Operations Division is responsible for investigating claims of the following types of crimes:
Workers compensation fraud, auto insurance fraud, disability and healthcare fraud, real estate fraud, and elder abuse/fraud.
District Attorney Inspectors also assist Deputy District Attorneys in the further investigation of criminal complaints, contacts with victims, witnesses, and defendants, as well as authoring and serving search warrants, arrest warrants, locating witnesses, serving subpoenas, and appearing in court as needed to testify.