Riverside County's district attorney names new chief for his 120 investigators

The Riverside County district attorney has appointed a veteran investigator as the new chief of the office's Bureau of Investigation, District Attorney Mike Hestrin said Monday.

Starting June 15, Natasha Crawford will head a team of about 120 sworn and 70 support staff tasked with investigating the cases the DA's office is prosecuting. Crawford was raised in Riverside County and was a police officer in neighboring Redlands for 15 years before joining the bureau.

District Attorney Mike Hestrin said Crawford's leadership experience in the department made her an obvious selection for the role.

"Natasha brings a strong background in law enforcement and a deep commitment to public safety," Hestrin said in a prepared statement. "I have full confidence in her ability to lead our Bureau of Investigation and to enhance our efforts to bring justice to the residents of Riverside County."

Crawford replaces outgoing Chief Joe DelGiudice, who is retiring after 19 years with the DA's office, including the last eight as head of the investigations bureau.

Crawford went to the University of Redlands and has a graduate degree from Chapman University. She has worked at the DA's office since 2016 on a variety of teams, including the Child Abduction, Organized Crime and Domestic Violence units. Most recently, she worked as the assistant chief for the bureau.

"It is an honor and a privilege to lead the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation," Crawford said in a prepared statement. "I am passionate about creating an environment that encourages growth and fosters collaboration."

Christopher Damien covers public safety and the criminal justice system. He can be reached at christopher.damien@desertsun.com or follow him at @chris_a_damien.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Riverside County district attorney's 120 investigators get a new chief