(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The Colorado Springs Police Department is looking for volunteers to help provide critical resources and support to crime victims with the Victim Advocacy Unit (VAU).
The VAU provides services and support to those who have been victimized by crimes that are covered by Colorado’s Victim Rights Act including:
Immediate crisis intervention and safety planning (24-hours a day, 7 days a week on-call victim assistance)
Information on the Colorado Victim Rights Act (VRA)
Assistance in completing applications for the Crime Victim Compensation Fund
Referrals to community agencies and resources
Support during the investigative process and education on the criminal justice system
Arrangement of interpretation services for victims with limited English proficiency
Information and assistance on obtaining protection orders
Volunteers work with CSPD’s full-time staff. CSPD said many volunteers feel rewarded by helping those in need and by developing professional skills and specialized networking opportunities.
After applying, those selected to become a VAU volunteer will be given 40 hours of specialized training starting April 16. The training is ten, four-hour courses on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from April 16 to May 16. On-the-job training will also be provided to those volunteers recruited to the unit. Applications close on Feb. 18.
