Homicide
The Homicide Squads are responsible for investigating all homicide-related offenses. These include the scene investigation of all homicides, officer-involved shootings, and questionable death incidents where foul play is suspected, in addition to the investigation of missing persons where criminal activity is suspected. These squads also respond to in-progress kidnappings.

Cold Case Unit
The Houston Police Department Homicide Cold Case Unit was formed in 2004. It consists of one lieutenant, two sergeants, two officers, one civilian employee, and three retired officers.

Crime Scene Unit
The Crime Scene Unit has the primary responsibility of processing all crime scenes for evidence. This includes, but is not limited to, the identification, collection, and preservation of crime scene evidence on all homicide scenes.

Chicano Squad
The Chicano Squad is responsible for providing investigative support and conducting follow-up investigations on homicides, serious assaults, and kidnappings that require extensive expertise and knowledge of the Hispanic culture and language.

Family Violence
The Family Violence Unit is responsible for the follow-up investigation of incidents involving family violence that does not involve the death of the complainant. Additionally, the unit is involved in educating departmental employees and the community about the dynamics of family violence.

Investigative Support
The Investigative Support Detail assists all investigative units with acquisition of information from public utilities, credit bureaus, computer databases, and historical detail from archive resources. They also assist in performing tactical crime analysis and liaison with non-Houston Police Department crime analysis units.

Major Assaults Unit
The Major Assaults Unit conducts investigations of all adult assaults where the complainant is expected to survive along with all other non-family or non-sexual assault offenses. These include crimes involving deadly conduct, harassment, and terroristic threats. Additionally, they perform follow-up investigation on kidnappings not investigated as an in-progress offense.

Sex Crimes Unit
The Sex Crimes Unit has the responsibility of investigating sexual assaults with adult victims and other sex related offenses involving adult suspects and victims.