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Law and Order
Law and Order
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Joe Velasco

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Detective Jose "Joe" Velasco is a detective with the Special Victims Unit. He was assigned to the squad following the retirement of Katriona Tamin.

History[]

Velasco is from the Anapra neighborhood in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. (SVU: "Once Upon a Time in El Barrio") As mentioned by himself, he grew up with a very abusive father who would often beat him with a belt. When his father died, Velasco took his belt while the rest of the family were interested in his money. He took the belt to remind himself of who he really is and how he has to overcome everything. (SVU: "Never Turn Your Back On Them")

He later became a delinquent who ran with the bad crowd. At one point, Velasco was used by the gang to be bait for a pedophile who they sought to punish. Velasco reluctantly did so and led the man to a secluded spot, where he was ambushed by the gang, and he watched in horror as the man was beaten to an inch of his life. Velasco made a promise to only do good, should the man survive and after he did, he acted on the promise and never told the story to anyone. He joins the NYPD and eventually meets his future superior Tommy McGrath.

With Special Victims Unit[]

Velasco is placed as an undercover influencer with the nickname Q by McGrath and a very limited amount of people knowing. He is then seen trying to work Congressman Justin Howard and then has to reveal to SVU that he was working in secret. (SVU: "And The Empire Strikes Back")

While working as the undercover, he gave his contact info to a possible victim of Howard's, Jenna Evans, and her mother, Laura. This gave the squad the ability to find Jenna when she ran away from home and also allowed them to recover DNA from a dress her mother had saved. (SVU: "Never Turn Your Back On Them")

Velasco is reassigned to SVU by McGrath to fill the void left by the departing Tamin. He helps investigate a case involving a single mother, Crystal Nuñez, and another rape of a Deputy Inspector's daughter, Peggy Grogan. Eventually SVU found the connection between Nunez and his second victim; they were both regulars at an ice cream truck. They find the vendor, Travis Hillsdale, continuing his job and looking at a new potential victim. SVU tells him that they want him to answer more questions. Travis seemingly agreed to come in but immediately dashed out of the truck with a gun in hand. Hillsdale entered a standoff with Detective Amanda Rollins and Sergeant Odafin Tutuola. With him distracted by them, Velasco who remained unseen tackled the perp and almost strangled him for what he did to the victims until he is told to stop. He later apologized to Tutuola for his behavior, who angrily told him it better not happen again. (SVU: "One More Tale Of Two Victims")

When SVU was tasked in finding a missing woman, Velasco was partnered with Rollins investigating an abandoned building said to be haunted. To his great horror, they find several mummified bodies as well as the latest victims who happen to be the missing girls. He confided in Benson about how he found it sickening and she told him that he was not the only one. During this case, he is on better terms with his new colleagues, and they found the culprit. (SVU: "They'd Already Disappeared")

When a young boy was kidnapped by a predator, Velasco applauded the boy's uncle for attacking the predator only to discover there was more to the case. (SVU: "Burning With Rage Forever")

Velasco went undercover as a hitman to help Rollins with busting a radio mogul suspected of rape and murder. He successfully pulled off his assignment but annoyed when the suspect made bail and went on tirade against the police force on his show. However, he expressed horror to watch the man be gunned down on television by the husband of one of his victims. (SVU: "Video Killed The Radio Star")

He is revealed to be single and use dating apps and one of his dates was revealed to be raped, causing his squad to investigate the case. (SVU: "Sorry If It Got Weird For You")

Velasco was heavily involved in a case when girls from his hometown ended up in a sex trafficking ring after he was told by the pastor of his former church. He unintentionally got arrested by a U.C only to have his squad help get him out of trouble. However, Velasco was relieved when the two squads worked together and exposed a crooked cop as being one of the enforcers. Going undercover, he was able to bust the leader Jorge Padilla and rescue the trafficked girls. He later notifies the pastor of his former church to let him know and the latter was relieved. (SVU: "Once Upon a Time in El Barrio")

In one case, he found it hard to believe a priest could actually rape several women, only for his colleagues to tell him predators were in every form. During the investigation, the theory proved more real when it turns out another priest was sending flowers to rape victims and that a series of rapes occurred before he was transferred. He was later disgusted to hear the Priest admitting to the rapes while on tape, before arresting him with Tutuola. (SVU: "Confess Your Sins to Be Free")

During a joint case with the Organized Crime Control Bureau, Velasco helped Benson and Stabler in locating a missing girl named Sara Santos. (OC: "Lost One")

After members of BX9 raped a teenage girl on the subway, SVU is assisted by The Bronx Gang Unit. The unit's captain, Mike Duarte, asks Velasco to transfer, but he decided to stay with the Special Victims Unit. Benson then told him that he would be partnered with a detective from the gang unit, Grace Muncy, who would be transferring in and he would help train her. (SVU: "The One You Feed")

Velasco found himself traumatized when he failed to save a rape victim from drowning, despite his best efforts. He was later comforted by Benson and Tutuola who swore to him that the rapist would suffer especially when another was intimidated by him. After the rapist's credibility was destroyed, Velasco was satisfied that it was over. (SVU: "Breakwater")

Velasco helped his squad investigate a rape accusation and he is disappointed when it is directed to one of his favorite athletes. In a talk with Muncy, he tells her that he can set aside his personal feelings if it was true. Surely enough, he became disgusted to uncover that the man is in fact a serial predator who even preyed on his closest friend's daughter. He joined the joined in apprehending the fallen athlete and his enraged friend who nearly attacked him. Later, Muncy apologized to him for his hero falling from grace but Velasco stated the man wasn't his hero. He cheered himself up by giving Muncy a soccer ball and teaching her how to play.(SVU: "Dead Ball")

Velasco was investigated and interrogated by Tutuola and Tonie Churlish for drug and murder charges following the conclusion of a case in which Velasco told a gang member named Hector Suarez that he had committed a murder in the past before sniffing what appeared to be cocaine. Velasco expressed his fury with Churlish that she had recorded Velasco's confession but Churlish was unaffected by his anger and was furious with him, stating she had a strong dislike for dirty cops. Tutuola eventually become tougher with Velasco but Velasco told Tutuola that he had witnessed his friend commit the murder years ago. After it was confirmed that Velasco had been interrogating Hector in an attempt to try and gain his trust to get him to confess to his crimes and it was confirmed that the alleged cocaine he had sniffed had instead been sugar, he was acquitted of any charges and allowed to return to police duty but Tutuola firmly told Velasco that he didn't have to show his loyalty to him or Churlish but instead to Benson. An angry Benson chastised Velasco for his unprofessional interrogation methods and told him that it was not to happen again, which Velasco understood. (SVU: "King of the Moon")

Appearances[]


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