[Adopted 8-7-1996]
The purposes of the County Auto Theft Unit (CAT Unit) shall be as follows:
A. 
Improve the overall quality and consistency of auto theft reporting, investigation and prosecution by dedicating a full-time county detective and an administrative assistant to develop and implement a county-wide plan and program/protocol for interagency cooperation and information sharing to combat automobile theft.
B. 
Assist in the identification of individuals responsible for multi-theft cases and locations frequently used by these individuals as source locations, storage sites and dump areas for stolen vehicles and the creation of a database information collection system for intelligence information and clearinghouse to disseminate the collected data to anti-auto-theft service providers both in and outside the criminal justice system.
C. 
Provide victim/witness information and support to the public who become involved in auto theft cases, including but not limited to the particulars of the victims' bill of rights, crime victim compensation and system support services for victims/witnesses.
D. 
Establish policy and procedures for the operation of the County Auto Theft Unit in conjunction with the Court of Common Pleas, adult and juvenile probation and local police authorities.
E. 
Act as a clearinghouse for information on auto theft prevention to individuals and community and civic groups.
F. 
Act as the county-wide coordinator of auto theft case investigation and repository for case data providing statistical analysis for system improvement.
G. 
Establish and conduct police officer training programs concerning auto theft prevention and case investigation methods.
H. 
Provide additional investigative assistance in companion cases, such as receiving stolen property and dealing in stolen property matters, as well as other assistance to local law enforcement agencies as directed by the District Attorney.
The County Auto Theft Unit (CAT Unit) will be created in the District Attorney's Office of York County and operate within the York County Detective Bureau. This specialized unit will be responsible for coordinating auto theft cases (investigation and prosecution) in the county. This unit will also interact with local service providers and other agencies charged with auto theft investigation and prosecution.