Criminal Investigations Division

The Criminal Investigations Division is under the direction of Lieutenant Drew Gortmaker. Lieutenant Gortmaker has been employed by the Vermillion Police Department since 2017. He was assigned as a patrol officer and detective prior to being promoted to Investigations Lieutenant in 2022. Lieutenant Gortmaker is a proud graduate of the University of South Dakota with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. He attained a Master of Science degree in Law Enforcement & Public Safety Leadership from the University of San Diego. Lieutenant Gortmaker was recognized as the first student from South Dakota to complete the nationally-ranked program. Currently, Lt. Gortmaker instructs personnel in Verbal De-Escalation, Interview & Interrogation, Ethics, and Bias-Based Policing.

The Criminal Investigations Division consists of two Detectives, one School Resource Officer, and one Evidence Clerk. The need for dedicated specialized investigators has become a necessary component of the modern police service. Public expectations, and the ever-increasing complexity of criminal investigations, require dedicated officers with advanced training. Our CID participates in advanced training to provide thorough investigations for the citizens we serve.

The Detectives of the Criminal Investigations Division are responsible for taking over major investigations after the Patrol Division's initial response. The Investigations Division follows up on cases involving forgeries, thefts, arson, assaults, sex crimes, burglaries, death investigations, drug investigations, robberies, and other felony crimes. Our Detectives conduct over 200 investigations annually.