Victim Services Division Law Enforcement Advocate

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2010

The Victim’s Advocate is one of the most important positions within the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO). The advocate is responsible for assisting more than 40,000 victims of crimes that come through our office annually. This includes completing paperwork, accompanying the victim to court, explaining the judicial process and assisting the victim in recovering money lost as the result of crime. Unfortunately, sometimes these victims are law enforcement officers and the manner in which their cases are handled sometimes requires an expertise and sensitivity possessed by a select group of advocates. In 2008, MCAO identified and dedicated one victim’s advocate to handle only cases involving law enforcement officers or public service workers who were the victim of a crime fueling the course of their duties. The intent of this program was to dispel the notion that being assaulted was merely a part of the job, to remind officers that there are victim services available to them and to seek harsher sentences for offenders who harm public servants.