Police Department
Reference: City of Brighton and Commerce City Victim Services Unit
To: Mayor Richard N. McLean and Members of City Council
Through: Philip Rodriguez, City Manager
Prepared By: Frank Acosta, Police Commander
Date Prepared: November 7, 2017
PURPOSE
To inform City Council of the ongoing services provided by the Victim Services Unit for the City of Brighton and the City of Commerce City.
BACKGROUND
The Brighton Police Department Victim Services Unit (VSU) has been in existence since the late 1980's. In August of 2014 through the current IGA the Brighton and Commerce City Victim Services Units merged with the Brighton Police Department becoming the administrating agency of the unit. Since the merger the unit has increased paid staff from 4 full time advocates (1 VALE granted funded) to 5 full time advocates with an addition of the Sexual Assault Victim Advocate Specialist (VAWA funded), 7 volunteers, with the supervision of current Victim Services Manager, Kim Messina.
Since the units merged in August of 2014 the unit has increased services to both communities by 72%. In 2016 the unit served 4,149 victims/witness of crime and personal tragedy, opening 2,621 cases and responding on scene 1,021 times as compared to 2013 when each respective units combined served a total of 2,020 victim/witness of crime and personal tragedy, responding on scene 439 times. Per each department policy police officers call out victim services on all Victim Rights Crimes, such as Domestic Violence, Sexual Assaults and Child Sexual Assault. By merging the two units, the Brighton and Commerce City Police Departments have increased their ability to provide quality services in both cities.
CONCLUSIONS
This increase does not interfere with the City of Brighton's ability to remain a partner in this project. The Victim Services IGA allows both cities the ability to provide crime victims with quality service in accordance with the Victim Rights Amendment.
FIN...
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