Irma Widjojo, Vallejo Times Herald | Tuesday, October 4, 2011

VALLEJO, Calif. -- After a nine-month hiatus the Vallejo Police Department Crime Suppression Unit has been reinstated, Vallejo police said Monday.

The Crime Suppression Unit is dedicated to "vice crimes," including prostitution and narcotics.

At the beginning of the year, the unit combined with the Investigations Unit to form the Major Case Section because of restructuring and lack of manpower, said Sgt. Jeff Bassett, a Vallejo police spokesman.

However, recently acquired private and federal grants allowed the department to increase its ranks from 90 to 93 officers, Bassett said.

The increase also enabled the Crime Suppression Unit to become once again a separate entity and focus on street level crimes.

"(The detectives') focus was divided because of their added duties," Bassett said.

The Major Case Section mainly focused on violent crimes, including homicides, rapes and robberies.

The department's Crime Suppression Unit now has six detectives and one sergeant detective.

"They will now be able to refocus back on the street level crimes, and decrease the number of undesirables off the streets," Bassett said.

On Friday, the unit conducted a prostitution sting program in the downtown area and arrested Chandra Brown, 29, for suspicion of prostitution and violating her probation.