FOUNTAIN VALLEY : Detective Gets Award from D.A.’s Office

Detective Kim Brown has one of the toughest caseloads on the force.

A father arrested for molesting his son. A woman abducted and raped in a parking lot and then again at the suspect’s home. A man arrested for molesting his girlfriend’s two daughters and the woman’s friend.

That’s a sample of the cases on Brown’s beat: investigating sex crimes and sending the weirdos to jail.

“It’s not a real pleasant topic,” Brown said. “In law enforcement, we put on our professional face and that’s what carries us through . . . You have a professional job to do.”

Even with that outlook, Brown said there are some cases “you can’t help but think about . . . when you’re off duty. Fortunately, those cases don’t come too often.”

Brown was the investigator in the disturbing case of Kyung Mook (Edward) Cho, who was sentenced in May to 84 years in prison for 25 counts of rape, molestation and assault on his three daughters, one of whom committed suicide. Cho hanged himself in December in Orange County Jail.

“It was sad to see the older daughter commit suicide,” said Brown, who began work on the case in May, 1992. “She wasn’t there to see the crime through. I wish she would have been there for the verdict because it took a lot of courage for her to come forward.”

Victims of sex crimes often are reluctant to report the crime to police, she said, noting that the judicial process is often painful for them.

Brown, however, finds professional and personal satisfaction in seeing an investigation turn into a conviction and she recently was commended for her investigative work by the Orange County District Attorney’s office.

Fountain Valley police Capt. Bill De Nisisaid the award is the highest form of flattery. “It’s just about the nicest compliment a police officer can get (because) it’s coming from her peers,” he said.

Brown, 35, began her career with the department in June, 1983, as a patrol officer and later worked in crime prevention. She was assigned to sexual assault investigation 2 1/2 years ago.

In addition to the sexual crimes, she also handles juvenile crime, including petty theft, assault and battery and trespassing.

Crimes committed by juveniles, such as vandalism, graffiti, even murder, are increasing, she said.

“I’ve seen the crimes become more serious--more weapons violations, vandalism and car thefts,” she said.

Brown also notes that in recent years child abuse reports are on the rise.

“The better educated the public gets, the more reports come in,” she said. “Now it’s a topic that’s discussed.”