Drug cases range from street level sales to organized drug enterprises. A relatively new component of the unit is SLIDE, or the Street Level Interdiction Drug Enforcement, a detail that targets "hot spots" where illegal drug activity occurs. SLIDE is credited with helping to reduce the homicide rate by curtailing street level drug sales.

The Narcotics and Vice Unit also files forfeiture proceedings against the assets obtained through illegal drug activity, which amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.

The Canine Detail is another vital tool for the Narcotics investigators. The combination of a dog’s keen sense of smell and long hours of training combine to make these dogs effective in finding illegal drugs where they might be hidden from view. The dogs in the detail also are trained to track suspects, and to detect explosive devices. This Detail plays an especially critical role during bomb threats when a large area has to be searched in a short period of time.

Youth Service Unit
The Youth Services unit investigates cases involving juveniles. This unit provides detectives to investigate crimes against property and persons committed by juveniles, as well as all allegations of child abuse. In cases involving abuse, detectives will coordinate with the District Attorney and the Department of Human Resources. Runaway and missing juveniles also fall under the jurisdiction of the Youth Services Unit.