Murrieta Police Mourn Loss Of Longtime Colleague Ami Hicks

MURRIETA, CA — The Murrieta Police Department is mourning the loss of one of its own. Senior Crime Analyst Ami Hicks died last week at the age of 46.

According to a GoFundMe page set up for her family, friends and coworkers that had raised more than $36,000 as of Monday morning, Hicks had been in a hospital intensive care unit battling, among other ailments, COVID and pneumonia.

"Ami left us on Wednesday, January 26th after a hard fought battle that started on December 23rd, 2021. She has been in all of our thoughts and prayers for the past month and leaves behind her loving husband of 18 years and two children," the Murrieta Police Department posted on social media.

Hicks' husband, Tom, wrote on the GoFundMe page, "The world has lost the most amazing woman I have been blessed to know and love. Our children have lost the most important figure in their lives. A part of me passed with you Wednesday 26th January 2022. I never got to say good bye. This day was the most difficult day of my life. I am missing you more than words can say."

Hicks was born in Illinois and graduated from Elsinore High School in 1993. She lived in Southwest Riverside County for the last 32 years and was part of the Murrieta police family for 19 years, having started as a dispatcher in October 2002, according to the Murrieta PD post.

Hicks "excelled in every aspect of her job" and had an "uncanny knack" for in-depth research that made her "an indispensable asset in criminal investigations and likely contributed to the closure of thousands of cases during her time here," the department said. "Her ability to recall cases, wanted suspects and previous radio calls was a talent that was respected by all she worked with, including officers, detectives and her fellow dispatchers."

Hicks applied for the department’s first crime analyst position in 2016.

"She continued to grow into one of our department’s most valuable employees. She played an invaluable role in the investigation of every major case our department has received and was constantly helping officers and detectives on a daily basis with investigatory requests and research," the department shared.

Hicks' work for the Murrieta PD and the community was not necessarily known to the public — and she liked it that way, according to the department. In addition to being a sharp analyst, Hicks was also a founding member of the department’s social media team, and was the author of the "Weekly Roundup."

"Every single week, Ami read through dozens of arrest reports and put together a narrative that so many of our residents enjoyed reading," the department said.

Hicks also took on primary roles in the implementation the department’s $1.2 million computer aided dispatch software, and she worked to assist Menifee in establishing its own police department in July 2020. More recently, she led her own department’s efforts to move to the National Incident-Based Reporting System for crime statistics.

"Ami was one of the most valuable members of this organization; she made this community safer and upheld the mission of the police department every day," the Murrieta PD continued. "Most importantly, she was a wonderful mother, wife and friend. She will leave a giant hole in our hearts for many years to come."

In the GoFundMe post, Tom Hicks thanked the department for its support.

"Murrieta Police Department, I cannot say enough," he wrote. "What an amazing family of people to be a part of. Over the last 20 yrs I have grown to know many of [you] personally. I love you all and hold you close to my heart. You are now our comfort blanket. I know your pain, you have lost a wonderful colleague and friend. She will be dearly missed, but not forgotten."

According to his post, Tom Hicks will make an announcement "in the very near future" about a celebration of life for his wife.

—GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner.