Denver Police Department - Victim Assistance Unit
About Us & Historical Overview
The Victim Assistance Unit (VAU) is part of the Criminal Investigations Division within the Crimes Against Persons Bureau of the Denver Police Department (DPD) and represents the only law enforcement based, victim-focused, on-scene response to victims of crime and/or non-criminal stark misfortune within the City & County of Denver.
The VAU provides immediate intervention, support, information, referrals and other assistance to victims of crime, witnesses and/or their families including incidents of non-criminal stark misfortune in which the Denver Police Department responds.
Victim Specialists from The VAU (who serve as non-sworn, civilian employees of the Denver Police Department) are on call 24-hours a day, 365 days a year and are dispatched to crime scenes, homes, hospitals and any location where victimization may occur.
The VAU works successfully with all areas of the DPD, the City & County of Denver, District Attorney & City Attorney offices, Denver Health Medical Center, area hospitals and a variety of community-based agencies, programs and mental health professionals related to multiple areas of victimization and trauma including areas specific to cultural and language-specific needs, considerations and issues.
The VAU is responsible for providing official death and emergency notifications (emergency hospitalization, tragedy, impending death of family members) to family members in Denver as well as providing on-scene response to homicide, suicide, natural death, S.I.D.S., traffic fatality / investigations, domestic violence, assault, sexual assault, robbery, crimes against the elderly, persons-at-risk calls and situations involving non-criminal stark misfortune & trauma at the request of the Denver Police Department. The VAU also works regularly with law enforcement, criminal justice and coroner’s offices throughout the Denver-Metro area, State and Country.
The primary role for the Victim Specialists is victim centered and focused, providing immediate intervention , services and assistance with the multitude and variety of issues and concerns related to criminal victimization and/or trauma related to stark misfortune.
Victim Specialists initiate immediate (w/ in 24 hours) telephonic outreach to all victims identified on DPD incident reports under investigation in the Crimes Against Persons Bureau. The VAU provides outreach to elderly (60+) victims of certain property crimes under investigation through the Property Crimes Bureau locations at the six DPD district stations. The VAU also works with the Traffic Investigations Bureau and the Investigations Bureau of the Denver Fire Department related to criminal and/or fire-related victimization.
Victim Specialists provide community-wide critical incident debriefings following victimization and/or trauma affecting a community of people or businesses.
Brief Historical Overview
The Victim Assistance Unit was established to reduce the psychological shock and trauma a victim can suffer by lending emotional and practical support immediately at the scene of a crime or shortly thereafter. Research indicates that if a victim receives help at the time of, or shortly after the crisis, psychological trauma is greatly reduced or eliminated thus speeding recovery and the re-establishment of a normal life.
In 1992 The Victim Rights Amendment was created / added to the State Constitution which provides crime victims with certain rights (See link for details). This Victims’ Rights Amendment (VRA) mandates a timely criminal justice response to victims and/or their designees. In recognition of the growing need for increased victim-specific services and to provide relevant, timely information and assistance to victims of crime and stark misfortune, the Victim Assistance Unit was established. The VAU has undertaken the responsibility to ensure compliance with many aspects of the VRA as well as enhance the outreach afforded to crime victims, their families and witnesses within the City and County of Denver.