The Metro-Dade Organized Crime Bureau headquarters.
The Metro-Dade Organized Crime Bureau, or OCB, is a division within the Miami area Metro-Dade Police Department. Located outside of the normal chain of police command, its detectives are free to use methods that might be considered unorthodox or even dangerous by standard police units, occasionally even operating outside of the law themselves, in order to achieve their goals and combat crime in the city. The unit's commander is Lieutenant Martin "Marty" Castillo, who succeeded Lou Rodriguez after the latter was killed in the line of duty in 1984. Second-in-command of the unit is Detective Sergeant James "Sonny" Crockett, an experienced undercover officer. They are backed by a dedicated team of other detectives and personnel, including Detectives Stan Switek, Larry Zito, Gina Calabrese, Trudy Joplin, and former NYPD officer Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs (originally seconded to the department temporarily, before deciding to transfer there permanently.
Structure and Operations[]
OCB's headquarters are in a nondescript building owned by the Gold Coast Shipping Company, in reality a cover set up by Metro-Dade. The department's officers mainly use this location for filling out paperwork and planning busts, as much of their time on duty is spent on the street or undercover. The only semi-permanent resident is Lieutenant Castillo, who oversees all ongoing OCB investigations from his office -- although even he occasionally becomes involved in cases directly, as can be seen in "Bushido" and "Indian Wars".
OCB officers typically involve themselves with serious organized crime, typically working as undercover agents or in an intelligence gathering capacity. Their jurisdiction is usually limited to Vice-related issues such as prostitution, drug dealing, weapons smuggling, and other similar crimes, but occasionally, due to departmental shortages, emergencies, or simply the large degree of freedom its officers enjoy, OCB may become involved in cases normally outside of their remit, including armed robbery, burglary, homicide, and others. Similarly, it's officers are occasionally called upon to undertake investigations outside of their legal jurisdiction, including unsanctioned operations overseas (such as in the Caribbean or Central America). OCB often operates in conjunction with other law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the ATF and the DEA.
Crockett handing himself in to his old squad after his actions as Burnett.
As exposure could endanger the lives of the detectives working in the unit, OCB's headquarters is an incredibly secure location, and any breach of security is dealt with swiftly and severely, even if those involved are commissioners or other high-ranking law enforcement officers. Even so, occasional breaches did occur, such as when former Vice detective Hank Weldon managed to gain access despite being retired for six years, or when Crockett entered the building unhindered, intending to hand himself in for his actions as Sonny Burnett, despite being wanted by the department for his crimes. The building itself was not without its problems, as seen when its antiquated air-conditioning system broke down in the midst of a heatwave, plunging the department into chaos while emergency repairs took place.
Despite the important role it plays in combating crime in Miami, OCB is often shown to be severely underfunded. At one point the auctioning off of valuable department assets is considered as a means of generating funding, including Crockett's Daytona (which he adamantly insists is essential to his job). Conversely, Switek's repeated requests for promotion are continually rejected due to a "lack of funding", a fact that neither he nor Lieutenant Castillo hold in particularly high regard.
Forfeiture Of Assets[]
Most of the equipment used by the Organized Crime Bureau's undercover officers is confiscated from the criminals they bust, a process known as asset forfeiture, and as such overall ownership of the property defaults to the department (rather than the officers themselves). Consequently, things like Crockett's Daytona and Testarossa, the clothes both Crockett and Tubbs wear, and even Crockett's home, the St. Vitus Dance, do not actually belong to them at all. This is most prominently seen in "Freefall", when Crockett is able to pack his personal possessions into a single bag upon leaving the St. Vitus after quitting the force.
Known Officers[]
- Lieutenant Martin "Marty" Castillo
- Lieutenant Lou Rodriguez (deceased)
- Detective James "Sonny" Crockett (retired)
- Detective Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs (retired)
- Detective Gina Calabrese
- Detective Stan Switek
- Detective Larry Zito (deceased)
- Detective Trudy Joplin
- Detective Bobby Price (deceased)
- Detective Jake Esteban