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Investigations Division
The Investigations Division of the Collin County District Attorney’s Office is staffed by twenty-one criminal investigators, including the division commander, Chief Criminal Investigator Novaline Varner and her assistant, Deputy Chief Criminal Investigator Chad Smith. Each of the nineteen remaining investigators is assigned to a trial team or specialized division or section within the District Attorney’s Office.
The Division’s chief and deputy chief are responsible for all administrative matters concerning criminal investigators, including the training, certifications, standards, discipline, and recognition and morale of each investigator. In addition, both the Division’s chief and deputy chief are independently assigned to specific investigations. The chief is also responsible for the organization of the Texas Homicide Symposium and monitors the operation of the DA’s Hot Check Loss Prevention Program.
Investigators are directed in their day-to-day activities by the chief prosecutor of the trial team or specialized division or section to which they are assigned.
The position of Criminal Investigator in the Collin County District Attorney’s Office is not an entry-level position. All investigators must be experienced, licensed, and certified peace officers. All of the criminal investigators are trained, or are being trained, in specific job-related specialties such as fingerprint comparison, handwriting analysis, computer forensics, fraud detection and investigation, and firearms instructors and armorers.
Novaline Varner, Chief Investigator, served as a jailer for the Collin County Sheriff’s Office from 1984 to 1989. She was selected as the bailiff for the 199th Judicial District Court by then presiding judge John Roach. Ms. Varner continued to serve as bailiff of that court under Judge Robert T. Dry, Jr. until December 31, 2002. The next day Ms. Varner assumed her present duties. Ms. Varner’s duties include the supervision of twenty criminal investigators, the Cold Case/Fugitive Unit, budget matters related to investigators, administrative matters and the training and education of all investigators. In addition, Ms. Varner is responsible for producing the annual Texas Homicide Symposium and for supervising the Hot Check Loss Prevention Program of the DA’s Office. Chief Varner holds licenses as a jailer, mental health officer, Advanced Peace Officer and Master Peace Officer. Novaline Varner - Ext. 4416; nvarner@co.collin.tx.us |
Chad Smith, Deputy Chief Investigator, attended Grayson County Community College. He joined the U.S. Army and served for five years, receiving an honorable discharge. He worked in the civilian aircraft industry as a quality control inspector before joining the Texas Department of Public Safety. There he obtained his Texas Peace Officers License and worked in the Highway Patrol service for four years. He then became employed by the Collin County District Attorney's Office where he has worked as a misdemeanor court investigator, district court investigator, and felony fraud investigator. Mr. Smith's current duties as Deputy Chief Investigator require him to supervise 20 investigators assigned throughout the District Attorney's office.
Collin County DA Investigators
Below is an alphabetical list of current DA investigators and their assignments and telephone extension numbers. For more information, go to the organizational chart or to the web page of the Division, Team or Court to which an investigator is assigned.
INVESTIGATORS |
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| Kelley D. Adley | Special Crimes | 3616 |
| Mike Bennett | Team 2 (401st) | 4371 |
| Bobby Chacon | Team1 (416th) | 4295 |
| Brandon Clegg | County Court #4 | 3619 |
| Gary Cochrane | Team 1 (366th) | 4289 |
| Mark Dickerson | Child Protection | 4359 |
| Dale Dowdy | Team 3 (380th) | 3626 |
| Samme Glasby | Special Crimes - Criminal & Civil | 4475 |
| Ryan Harvey | County Court #1 | 3617 |
| Keith Henslee | Team 2 (199th) | 4346 |
| Danny Jones | County Court #6 | 3618 |
| Robin Laughon | Team 3 (219th) | 3631 |
| Todd Low | Hot Checks | 4344 |
| Ray McCommas | County Court #3 | 3694 |
| Kim McKenna | Domestic Violence | 4387 |
| Rodney Neal | Hot Checks | 4375 |
| Kenny Newton | Crimes Against Children | 4348 |
| Joe Pell | County Court #5 | 4348 |
| Marletta Scribner | Crimes Against Children | 3635 |
| Chad Smith | Deputy Chief | 4618 |
| Stephanie Strickland | County Court #2 | 3614 |
| Novaline Varner | Chief Investigator | 4416 |
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