From
Fred Bates, Jr.
Title
Resolution supporting the one-year continuation of the Police Department's Victim Assistance Program grant in the amount of $139,802
Presenter
Ronnie Morris, Assistant Chief - Investigative Services Bureau
Recommended Action
Approve
Analysis
The Police Department is interested in applying to the Criminal Justice Division (CJD) of the Governor’s Office for a one-year continuation grant for the Victim Assistance Program, which consists of two full-time Crime Victim Services Coordinators.
The Crime Victim Services Coordinators continue to plan, coordinate, and administer the Victim Assistance Program by recruiting, training, and supervising volunteers and interns; providing personal advocacy for crime victims and their families; planning, implementing, and monitoring new programs pertaining to victim outreach; court accompaniment and interfacing with law enforcement personnel, prosecutors, and others on behalf of victims; assisting victims in securing Crime Victims Compensation benefits; providing community education programs; and participating as a member of the Coalition of Crime Victim Services, Law Enforcement Victim Assistance, and Grand Prairie Human Services Coalition.
In 2019, the Victims Assistance Unit provided services in the following categories; Crisis Counseling (61), Information / Referrals (2,504), Justice Support Advocacy (776), Emergency Legal Assistance (1,334), Assistance in Filing Compensation Claims (1,757), and Personal Advocacy (1,537). The 2020 year-to-date statistics are an anomaly due to the COVID-19 event. Currently, these categories are; Crisis Counseling (22), Information / Referrals (576), Justice Support Advocacy (258), Emergency Legal Assistance (262), Assistance in Filing Compensation Claims (336), and Personal Advocacy (417).
The Grand Prairie Police Department’s Victims Assistance Unit provides a valuable service to community members in assisting crime victims in navigating the legal p...
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