The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "detectives" ...
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Many Bullets, Little Blame
This two-day series uncovered a significant, serious and growing problem in Kansas City: Police routinuely shut down investigations into nonfatal shootings because victims wouldn't talk or detectives had trouble finding them again. Reporter Christine Vendel spent months studying a year's worth of shooting reports, knocking on victims' doors, and interviewing police, experts and others. Her series revealed that 60 percent of the 2011 cases had been shut down, even in instances where other witnesses existed. Meanwhile, charges were filed in only 10 percent of cases, leaving nearly all shooters free to threaten, maim and possibly new victims. The second day of the series drew comparisions to domestic violence issues of 20 years ago, when those victims faced similar problems. Police, prosecutors, lawmakers and others worked on solutions back then -- but no one was working today to help shooting victims. Vendel's series changed that.
Tags: Police; shootings; victims; detectives; prosecutors
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Broken Shield
Decades ago, California created a special police force to patrol exclusively at its five state developmental centers – taxpayer-funded institutions where patients with severe autism and cerebral palsy have been beaten, tortured and raped by staff members. But California Watch found that this state force, the Office of Protective Services, does an abysmal job bringing perpetrators to justice. Reporter Ryan Gabrielson, a Pulitzer Prize winner, exposed the depths of the abuse inside these developmental centers while showing how sworn officers and detectives wait too long to start investigations, fail to collect evidence and ignore key witnesses – leading to an alarming inability to solve crimes inflicted upon some of society’s most vulnerable citizens. Dozens of women were sexually assaulted inside state centers, but police investigators didn’t order “rape kits” to collect evidence, a standard law enforcement tool. Police waited so long to investigate one sexual assault that the staff janitor accused of rape fled the country, leaving behind a pregnant patient incapable of caring for a child. The police force’s inaction also allowed abusive caregivers to continue molesting patients – even after the department had evidence that could have stopped future assaults. Many of the victims chronicled by California Watch are so disabled they cannot utter a word. Gabrielson gave them a resounding voice. Our Broken Shield series prompted far-reaching change, including a criminal investigation, staff retraining and new laws – all intended to bring greater safeguards and accountability.
Tags: California; police; autism; cerebral palsy; abuse; children
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MCSO Sex Crimes Unit Investigation
We uncovered that Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Sex Crimes Unit detectives failed to investigate hundreds of sex crimes cases. Not only were hundreds not investigated, but many were cleared in a way so they would be reported along with arrest numbers giving the public the appearance the cases were solved.
Tags: sex crimes; detectives
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A Bad Cop and His Wife
The investigation uncovered how a Los Angeles detective and his wife ripped off people from coast to coast. The detective would use his influence as a police officer to help his wife's furniture and design business. She would take customers money but not deliver the goods.
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DUI Pilots: Warning Signs Ignored
KIRO-TV found that only a small fraction of the pilots caught for abusing alcohol or drugs were actually being monitored by federal regulators. The reporter discovered with computed assisted reporting how easy it is for these pilots to manipulate the system and avoid detection.
Tags: airplanes; DUI; drunk-driving; regulation; pilots
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City Rape Statistics Questioned
The Sun's investigation found that nearly a third of rapes reported in the city were being deemed "untrue or baseless" by detectives. The paper uncovered examples of women being grilled by detectives until they recanted their stories; and in many case reports never made it from street patrol cops to the detectives.
Tags: crime; hidden crime statistics; FBI; police; rape; violence against women; sexual assault
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Bad Detective
In Orange County, incarcerated defendants representing themselves in court had no choice but to hire one well-connected private investigator who mostly just pressured them to take deals offered by prosecutors. In at least one case, the investigator blackmailed an inmate to accept a plea deal.
Tags: courts; private investigator; blackmail; plea bargain; law enforcement
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Investigation of Louisville Metro Police Det. Marlowe
The reporters find that one local detective accused at least a dozen defendants of crimes they did not commit. Many of these defendants could not possibly have committed the crimes because they were in jail or out of the city at the time. Many of the accused served jail time for days or even months before they were exonerated.
Tags: exonerate; detective; police; criminal justice; innocent
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"Ethiopian adoptions: Learning the Truth"
This investigation by CBC-Radio found that Ethiopian children who were being adopted by Canadian family were not in fact orphans. Detectives found that the children still had families in Ethiopia and that the Canadian adoption agency based in country were "convincing Ethiopian mothers to put their kids up for adoption."
Tags: Canadian Advocates For The Adoption of Children, CAFAC; Manitoban adoption agency; Ethiopia; orphanage
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"Breach of Trust"
Soldiers on all levels of the U.S. Armed Forces used fake college diplomas to increase chances of "promotions and pay raises." WHNT-TV revealed that several AMCOM employees had also presented "fake degrees" to the "Department of the Army." The investigation spurred a reconstruction of HR Specialist training, as the command's "ability to detect" to false diplomas was severely flawed.
Tags: U.S. Army; National Guard; Army Reserve; Department of the Army; U.S. Army and Department of Defense; General David Grange; Major General Jim Pillsbury; Army Aviation and Missile Command; U.S. Army Human Resource Command