Special Operations patch used most notably by Chief Howard
The Special Operations Bureau (SOB) provides the Los Angeles Police Department specialized tactical resources in support of daily field activities, unusual occurrences, and during serious disturbances and elevated threat conditions.
SOB also provides line supervision over all of the department's gang enforcement and gang strategies.
Chief Howard
The commanding officer of the Special Operations Bureau is Deputy Chief Fritz Howard and his second-in-command is Commander Ann McGinnis.
Commander McGinnis
Divisions, Sections, and Platoons of the Special Operations Bureau
Special Investigation Section
The Special Investigation Section (SIS) is the LAPD's tactical surveillance unit. The primary mission of SIS is to determine if the suspects under surveillance are connected to the crimes under investigation, and, if needed, to locate and arrest the suspects. Although assigned to SOB, SIS is available to any division seeking surveillance on active criminals/crimes.
- In the real LAPD, SIS is under the command of the Robbery-Homicide Division rather than SOB.
Lt. Coopers business card from the SOB.
- Lieutenant Chuck Cooper is the SIS commanding officer during Major Crimes.
- Amy Sykes was a SIS Detective in the Major Crimes premiere "Reloaded". At the end of that episode, she transferred to the Major Crimes Division.
- Wes Nolan was a SIS Detective who was undercover in the Zyklon Brotherhood for nearly six years. He later transferred to the Major Crimes Division where he will be assigned until he can finish testifying against the Z-Brotherhood.
Air Support Division
ASD logo
The Air Support Division is the airborne unit for the LAPD. It is the largest municipal airborne unit in the United States, consisting of 88 sworn personnel and 19 helicopters.
- During The Closer and Major Crimes, a real life LAPD Officer, Sergeant Steve Roussell, is featured in his role as a ASD Tactical Flight Officer. He also consults with the production team on all aspects of filming which require the use of LAPD helicopters.
Metropolitan Division
Metro Division logo
The primary responsibility of the Metro Division is to provide support to the Department’s community-based policing efforts by deploying additional crime suppression resources throughout the City. These assignments include uniformed crime suppression details, as well as responding to high-risk barricaded situations, stakeouts, security details, warrant service, and assisting investigators in solving major crimes.
A, B, C, and G Platoons: Crime suppression
Metro Division patch
A, B, C, and G platoons are usually tasked with crime suppression as well as selective enforcement details in high frequency crime areas and targeting repeat offenders and criminal predators. They often serve high risk search warrants as well and during protection details and high profile events within the city, they deploy heavily armed tactical units for added security.
D Platoon: SWAT
S.W.A.T. team patch
D Platoon is the Special Weapons and Tactics (S.W.A.T.) team of the LAPD. They provide the department with 24-hour coverage necessary for immediate response to barricaded suspects, snipers, crisis and hostage negotiations, potential suicide-related situations, and other high-risk incidents.
E Platoon: Mounted unit
E Platoon serves as the LAPD's mounted police unit and the reserve unit of the Special Operations Bureau. The platoon currently has 32 horses which deploy to the City streets or during special events to add to the Department’s professional image.
H Platoon: Municipal Executives Protection Detail
H Platoon is responsible for the security teams that protect the Mayor, Chief of Police and City Attorney as well as other dignitaries if needed.
Canine (K-9) Platoon
K-9 Platoon patch
The K-9 Platoon deploys highly trained dog handlers and their canine partners to conduct searches and apprehend felony suspects throughout the Los Angeles area.
M Platoon: Command, administration, and support
The M platoon serves as the command and administrative section and also provides the support function for the division. In addition to the administrative duties, they coordinate Metro's many tactical firearms training programs and ensures compliance with state-mandated training. Additionally, this platoon is in charge of the armory that maintains all of Metro’s equipment. This includes the specialized vehicles, weapons, ammunition and other specialized tools used by the division.
Special Operations Support Division / Emergency Operations Division
- The Special Operations Support Division was disbanded in 2010 and it was replaced by the Emergency Operations Division.
- During The Closer, a SOSD Detective Mikki Mendoza occasionally worked with the Major Crimes Division.
Gang Support Section (GSS)
Mission of the GSS is:
- Identify and cause the arrest of active, violence-prone career criminal gang members
- Provide oversight and coordination of area Gang Impact Teams (GIT), and
- Develop and maintain an automated system to identify and track career criminals
In addition to field operations on career criminals, GSS also maintains LAPD’s Outlaw Motorcycle Gang (OMG) files and interacts daily with other agencies monitoring OMGs.
GSS is also responsible for updating the Citywide gang database, monitoring and disseminating gang-related criminal statistics, developing an active parolee database, and serving as an liaison to the California Youth Authority and Los Angeles County Probation Department.
Traffic Coordination Section (TCS)
The Traffic Coordination Section provides support and administrative services related to traffic issues. TCS is comprised of the Traffic Analytical Unit, and the Multi-Discipline Collision Investigation Team.
The Traffic Analytical Unit is responsible for conducting traffic related research, analyzing traffic legislation and court decisions as well as proposing additions and amendments to the California Vehicle Code.
The Multi-Discipline Collision Investigation Team (MCIT) is responsible for maintaining the department's Traffic Manual, completing traffic collision reconstructions, providing expert testimonies in court, and being available to investigate traffic collisions and traffic-related crimes that meet MCIT criteria.
Counter-Terrorism and Special Operations Bureau
CTSOB logo
In the real LAPD, the Special Operations Bureau was merged with the Counter-Terrorism & Criminal Intelligence Bureau (CTCIB) in 2010, creating the new Counter-Terrorism and Special Operations Bureau (CTSOB) which was then assigned to the newly created Office of Special Operations.
Chief Frank
The commanding officer of the Counter-Terrorism and Special Operations Bureau is Deputy Chief Horace Frank.
Deputy Chief Frank is assisted by two assistant commanding officers, Commanders Prokop, and Zarcone.
Original Special Operations Bureau
Commander Prokop
Commander Edward Prokop assists the Chief in matters related to the original Special Operations Bureau, meaning the Air Support Division, Metropolitan Division, and the Emergency Operations Division.
Original Counter-Terrorism & Criminal Intelligence Bureau
Commander Zarcone
Commander Peter Zarcone assists the Chief in matters related to the original Counter-Terrorism & Criminal Intelligence Bureau, meaning the real life Major Crimes Division, and the Emergency Services Division.
Major Crimes Division
In the real LAPD, the Major Crimes Division's job differs from the work depicted in the series. In the real LAPD, the primary objective of MCD is the prevention of terrorist attacks or possible riots that can cause major damage to property and the loss of life in Los Angeles as well as preventing individuals or groups from harassing or harming others on the basis of race, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation.
Real life MCD is comprised of the Criminal Conspiracy Section, the Criminal Investigations Section, the Intelligence Investigations Section, the Surveillance Section, and the Liaison Section.
Emergency Services Division
The Emergency Services Division works to prevent and/or mitigate terrorist and other criminal activities through threat assessments, detection, deterrence, and the rapid response to criminal incidents.
Operations Section
The Operations Section is responsible for maintaining liaison with the Emergency Operations Organization regarding the Department Operations Center (DOC); assisting department entities in preparations for maintenance operations during natural disasters and other unusual occurrences; developing, coordinating, and delivering incident management training, drills, and exercises to department personnel; coordinating organization and deployment plans for major unusual occurrences; and evaluating procedures, tactics, and techniques to be employed during unusual occurrences.
The Operations Section includes the Department Operations Center Unit and the Military Property Acquisition Team.
Hazardous Devices Section
The Hazardous Devices Section is responsible for responding to incidents involving real or potential explosive devices and render safe and/or remove suspected destructive devices, improvised explosive devices, incendiary devices, explosives, explosive chemicals, pyrotechnics, and military ordnance; responding to incidents involving real or potential criminal use of hazardous materials and render safe and/or remove suspected hazardous materials devices; and providing and conducting canine explosive searches for Los Angeles International Airport.
The Hazardous Devices Section includes the Explosives Unit (Bomb Squad), the LAX Bomb Detection K-9 Unit, and the Hazardous Materials Unit (HAZMAT).
Planning Section
The Planning Section is responsible for developing, implementing, updating, and supporting Response Information Folders and processing special event permits, required by City Administrative Code.
The Planning Section includes "Operation Archangel" and other supporting elements.
Operation Archangel is a project developed by the LAPD to identify and protect critical infrastructure and key resources in the L.A. metropolitan area. Its purpose is to defend likely targets against terrorist attacks. Archangel is based upon the guiding principle that local agencies are most knowledgeable about their own critical assets. It is also partnered with the City and County of Los Angeles, the California State Office of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
CTSOB in the Major Crimes Universe
In the Major Crimes Universe, the merge that created the Counter-Terrorism and Special Operations Bureau has not happened as the former Chief of Police, Tommy Delk, was once the Deputy Chief of the fictional Counter-Terrorism Division before his promotion to Chief of Police.
Also, the fictional Criminal Intelligence Division, which is currently under the command of Commander Leo Mason, presumably has some of the investigative responsibilities that the real life Major Crimes Division has, tying the division to the Counter-Terrorism & Criminal Intelligence Bureau.
It is possible that the Counter-Terrorism Division and the Criminal Intelligence Division are the Major Crimes Universe's equivalents of the Counter-Terrorism & Criminal Intelligence Bureau, handling different parts of its investigative and operational responsibilities, as the CTCIB does not exist, and has never existed, in the Major Crimes Universe.