Maricopa police starting victim assistance program

When tragedy strikes, victims are often left with questions.

What do I do? What happens next? Who should I notify?

As a natural act of wanting to help and provide the utmost service, police officers responding to these victims often feel obligated to stay until all the questions are answered.

However, by staying to answer these questions, the very officers whose duty it is to protect and serve are pulled from the streets.

Not any longer.

The Maricopa Police Department is in the initial stages of implementing a victim assistance provider program.

The program is designed so that the police department has a team of trained civilian volunteers at its fingertips to provide the support that victims require.

“This is a great program in that it gives victims a service they need, and it keeps officers on the street,” said Maricopa Police Department spokesman Sgt. Stephen Judd.

The way that the program works is once an officer is done gathering the necessary information from the crime scene, he or she can call a victim assistance provider out to answer any questions the victim may have.

These providers will provide victims with crime information and referrals to local and county agencies, hospital and court accompaniments, safety planning and how to deal with traumatic experiences.

“This is a great program that is run across the country,” Judd said.

Each of the providers is prescreened and trained through similar victim programs offered through the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office and the Casa Grande Police Department.

Once training is complete, volunteers can specify the types of victims they are comfortable handling and give their availability to officers.

“A lot of people have been victims and feel the need to reach out and help others,” Judd said.

For more information on the program, please contact Judd at (520) 316-6882 or e-mail [email protected].

Photo by Scott Bartle