Law Enforcement-Based Victim Specialist Unit

Buckingham Township Police announce the formation of a Victim Specialist Unit in collaboration with Central Bucks Regional Police and Plumstead Township Police. The collaboration has been awarded a grant from The Office for Victims of Crime, Department of Justice, under the FY20 Law Enforcement-Based Victim Specialist Grant Program. The OVC awarded 22 grants nationwide with only eight given to small agencies (those with less than 100 full-time officers).

The $269,624 grant award is for a three-year period to fund a Victim Specialist Unit (VSU) to include two Victim Specialists solely dedicated to assisting victims of crime within the collaborative jurisdiction. The VSU’s objective is to positively affect the quality of life for the citizens of the Boroughs of Doylestown, Chalfont, New Britain and the Townships of Buckingham and Plumstead.

The VSU’s mission is to provide assistance for crime victims through crisis intervention, community referrals, and other support services necessary to expedite recovery and healing. The Victim Specialists will help victims understand their rights, how to exercise them, provide support with compassionate and respectful responses. This Unit will engage in activities including victim support at the law enforcement level of contact, assistance through trauma-informed investigative interviews, updates on status of case, criminal justice proceedings, obtaining state victim compensation and transitional housing.

These free services are available to help victims cope with the trauma and the aftermath of victimization and to lessen the inconveniences often associated with participation in the criminal justice process. The collaboration will work in tandem with external partners through referrals to provide healthy responses to victims.