Bellaire Police Department Victim Specialist Program

The purpose of this award, funded under the OVC FY 2019 Law Enforcement-Based Victim Specialist Program, is to develop or enhance and sustain crime victim specialist programs within law enforcement agencies and better coordinate services to victims to more quickly and more effectively serve the victim assistance and compensation needs of all crime victims and inform them of their rights as crime victims.

The City of Bellaire will employ a dedicated crime victim specialist to meet current and future victim service needs. The Bellaire Police Department—a small police agency of 42 sworn officers—has never had a full-time Crime Victim Liaison. To date, crime victim liaison functions have been assigned on a part-time basis, first to a detective in the Criminal Investigations Division and more recently, to a civilian Records Clerk. Thus far only select offenses have been referred for governmental or community crime victim services. These offenses only include: sexual assault, kidnapping, aggravated robbery, trafficking of persons, or injury to a child, senior citizen, or disabled individual or who has suffered personal injury or death as a result of the criminal conduct of another. The Bellaire Police Department will expand the offenses for which crime victim services are offered to include all victims of crime.

CA/NCF