The Irving Police Department’s Victim Services Unit received the ‘Excellence in Victim Services Award’ – Medium Sized Agency at the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) annual conference in Chicago this week. The award recognizes agencies that best exemplify an organizational philosophy of placing victims at the center of their problem-solving efforts, utilizing effective partnerships, training methods and performance monitoring tools to enhance response to victims of crime. Three awards were given, one for each agency category: small, medium and large, determined by the number of sworn officers within the department.
The department submitted a detailed application to the IACP, in consideration of this year’s award, based upon the services provided through the Irving Family Advocacy Center. Their efforts seek to promote a coordinated response for victims of crime by bringing together victim services staff, law enforcement officers, forensic interviewers, Child Protective Services and a therapy department. The Victim Services Unit contacts an average of 3,500 crime victims a year to provide crisis counseling, safety planning, risk assessment, criminal justice and victim rights information, VINE registration assistance, Crime Victims’ Compensation assistance, information and referrals.
Victim Services Supervisor Heather Koval attended the conference and accepted the award on behalf of the entire team. The Irving Police Department is honored to have been selected for this award which recognizes the important function of victim services in law enforcement.
