Is the Homicide section of the police allowed to disclose the details of an ongoing investigation at least to close friends and relatives?

Almost never. The police don’t want the victims family to take revenge in their own hands, and they don’t want potential evidence to possibly inform suspects.

^Well said. I would add, that active investigations, are not supposed to be commented on, by LEOs. This has a lot to do with a possible jury trial. If a LEO let’s out information on an investigation, it will be harder to find “impartial” jury members. Because they may have preconceived notions, based on what they heard…

I would imagine that if a detective does tell his wife or SO, it’s with the understanding that it stops there. She is telling nobody else. Of course it wouldn’t be right but it probably happens all the time.

^It probably does happen. But it’s not supposed to. Most successful homicide detectives, have poor marriages, or family lives. Because they uphold their oaths. And they have an ethical standard, that keeps them on the pursuit of catching the murderer. After a homicide, time, is of the essence. The longer they go, without catching the suspect, the smaller the chances become of finding them… So. They work long hours, and have little time, for anything else, but the investigation. The best, dedicate their lives to doing their job. They know the reality of the situation. A killer, will likely kill again. So. They have to find the killer, or others could die too… It’s a shitty job, and fucks up their heads, and personal lives…

I guess there is also other circumstances that might play in here. For instance, my dad took his own life…jumped off a bridge. The PD assigned a detective to investigate. I was contacted and was given some information and I gave information. Had this suddenly turned out to be a suspected homicide and turned over to the homicide section, all that information that I had gotten (and shared with my wife, brother, etc) would already be out.

No.

I don’t think so, much to the chagrin of those close friends and relatives.

Definitely NO!
They swore an Oath and if discovered broken will lose there jobs.

* their * They will lose their jobs.

@Dutchess_III
yes I made a mistake…but everyone gets the point anyways.

^ I speak typo…NO problem!!!

NO, they aren’t allowed; however, they still do tell people close to them that they trust. As we all know, you can’t always trust others with your secrets. I’ve a friend who is married to a homicide detective. She’s always telling me something in the strictest confidence. Lucky for her, I know how to keep a secret & she really needs to learn how!!! IF she’ll tell me, who else is she telling???

There are a lot of sicko’s out there who claim that they committed a crime when they didn’t & the cops don’t release some info so that they’ll have something that only they & the real criminal will know. So, the crazy confessor is easy to spot because there’s something that happened of which they have NO knowledge!!!