C3I Investigations

Combined County Criminal

 Investigation (C3I) Unit

In existence since 1992, the award winning C3I Unit was formed as a cooperative agreement between Allegany County law enforcement agencies. It is comprised of experienced investigators from the Cumberland Police Department, Maryland State Police, Allegany County Sheriff’s Office, Frostburg Police Department and the Allegany County State ’s Attorney’s Office. In 2007, the Frostburg State University Police Department also became a voting member by assigning a full-time criminal investigator to the unit. C3I is headquartered in the Cumberland Police Department Public Safety Building .

C3I investigators are assigned to follow-up on all serious criminal offenses that occur in Allegany County along with conducting multi-jurisdictional investigations. C3I staffing currently consists of the Allegany County Criminal Investigator, four criminal investigators from the Cumberland Police Department, four from the Maryland State Police, two from the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office and one from Frostburg State University. The Warrant Fugitive Initiative is staffed with an officer from Cumberland Police Department and one from the Maryland State Police. Additional staffing includes a polygraph examiner, Dr. Joseph Collins and a Crime Scene Investigator, Marty Tichnell, both from the Maryland State Police. Legal representation is assigned from the Allegany State ’s Attorney’s Office.

The Unit is governed by an Advisory Board. Voting members are the Allegany County State ’s Attorney, Chiefs of Police from Cumberland , Frostburg and Frostburg State University, the Allegany County Sheriff and the Maryland State Police Superintendent or his designee. Non-voting members are the FBI, the Maryland National Guard, Allegany County Homeland Security Chief and the Director of the Department of Social Services for Allegany County .

In 2009, the C3I Unit investigated 1,260 incidents resulting in 357 arrests with an overall closure rate of over 87.4%. The Unit is also responsible for registering and monitoring the 159 active sex offenders in Allegany County.

Assigned Cumberland Police Department members are Sgt. David Biser, Cpl. Andrew Tichnell, PFC Eric Rice and PFC Chris Golliday along with Ms. Julie Sterne who provides secretarial support to the unit.