Columbia Police Chief William H. ‘Skip’ Holbrook announces that a Special Victim’s Unit (SVU) Investigator has received a prestigious award for his child advocacy.
Inv. Hass with award presenter, Dr. Alicia Benedetto from the Metropolitan Children’s Advocacy Center
Investigator Tyson Hass is the 2019 Richland County Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) Participant of the Year. The award engraving reads, ‘For your dedication, compassion, enthusiasm and diligence. For your service in the interest of children and justice. You are recognized and honored by your partners in the fight against child abuse.’
Hass has been a Columbia Police Department officer since 2010 and an SVU investigator since 2017. The MDT is comprised of law enforcement personnel, medical professionals, the Metropolitan Children’s Advocacy Center under the South Carolina Department of Mental Health, and the South Carolina Department of Social Services. The group is designated to review child protective services cases that have concurrent criminal investigations, in particular when a young victim has been abused, neglected or exploited.
Additional CPD award recipients include: Beverly Conyers in 2001, Major George Drafts in 2009, and Investigator Stephan Narewski in 2011.
CPD’s SVU investigates cases involving: Criminal Sexual Conduct (CSC) Child Abuse/Neglect, Child Fatality, Indecent Exposure, Emergency Protective Custody (EPC), Missing Persons, Stalking/Harassment, Domestic Violence (DV), and Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC). Investigators work closely with CPD’s victim advocates.