AG Announces Creation of Criminal Investigations Division 

AG Nessel Announces Creation of Criminal Investigations Division

LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel today announced the creation of the Criminal Investigations Division (CID), led by former Lansing Police Department Capt. Thomas Fabus.

The CID is the first of its kind for the Michigan Department of Attorney General and will allow the department to more effectively and uniformly complete thorough investigations covering a variety of subjects, while providing resources and strengthening partnerships with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

“As Michigan’s Attorney General and an elected public servant, I am committed to improving the operations of my department to better serve Michigan’s residents,” Nessel said. “This new division is a step forward in implementing best practices as they relate to criminal investigations and establishes an operational structure to provide the autonomy and oversight needed to ensure the completion of investigations that are thorough and done with integrity at all levels. Tom is the perfect person to lead this division. His experience speaks for itself and his reputation in the law enforcement community is one of commitment and integrity.”

Fabus began his position with the Attorney General’s office in April as chief of investigations. Prior to joining the Attorney General’s office, he worked for the Lansing Police Department for nearly 25 years, retiring in March from the rank of captain.

In his new role, he will oversee the Department of Attorney General’s special agents and investigative efforts in a wide range of topics, from clergy abuse and officer-involved shootings, to hate crimes, cold-case homicides, child support issues, consumer protection concerns and more.

“This new division will coordinate the law enforcement efforts of the Department of Attorney General, with emphasis on conducting complex case investigations,” Fabus said. “The strength of the Attorney General’s office is in its multidisciplinary professionals – from the investigators and attorneys to the victim advocates – and I’m proud to work alongside these other dedicated professionals in service to Michigan’s residents.”

While employed at the Lansing Police Department, Fabus worked in LPD’s Detective Bureau, Internal Affairs and Special Operations Section investigating a range of criminal activity from violent crime to narcotics and human trafficking. He also served as a tactical member of the Special Tactics and Rescue Team for over 17 years before retiring as the assistant team commander and one of the lead trainers for police tactics.

In 2010, Fabus was part of a team which founded the Capital Area Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) and has served as the task force commander. VCI has served as an example of coordination of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in violent crime response efforts. This model was presented to a national audience of law enforcement executives as best practices during the Department of Justice’s symposium on violent crime in 2018.

Fabus is a 2015 graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy, a 10-week police executive leadership program located at the FBI academy in Quantico, Virginia. In 2018, he attended the Police Executive Research Forum, Senior Management Institute for Police in Boston, Massachusetts, an intensive three-week program designed for forward-thinking senior police executives.

Tom obtained a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Michigan State University and graduated from the Mid-Michigan Police Academy before being hired by LPD in 1995.