DuPage County Unveils New Major Crimes Task Force, MERIT

DUPAGE COUNTY, IL -- DuPage County officials introduced a new countywide major crimes task force Wednesday that they hope will consolidate efforts and resources to keep its residents safe. The Metropolitan Emergency Response and Investigation Team (MERIT) replaces the county's Felony Investigative Assistance Team (FIAT) and the Major Crimes Task Force with nearly a dozen focused groups, each headed up by its own commander.

The MERIT task force will have resources specifically dedicate to handling the following crimes and crisis situations:

* SWAT responses

* Crisis negotiations

* Major crash reconstruction

* K-9 response

* Planned events

* Major crimes

* Crime scene investigations

* Intelligence

* Computer forensics

* Incident management assistance

At a press conference, DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said, "By pooling our resources, we will be able to dedicate the best of the best to any situation that may be beyond the ability of one particular community to respond to effectively in terms of expertise, manpower and/or equipment available at any given time."

Patrol officers who are members of the MERIT units can activate a MERIT response at any given time, DuPage County authorities said. The activation request will then be reviewed by a MERIT commander and put into action if deemed necessary.

MERIT will have its own executive board, made up of 12 members that include executive roles, along with representatives from the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office, the DuPage County Sheriff's Office, and other organizations.

DuPage County officials are hoping the countywide consolidation, which already has 36 communities enrolled, will make crime-fighting more efficient. Sheriff James Mendrick said in a statement, "I have every confidence that public safety here in DuPage County has reached a new evolutionary level."