OFFICIAL NEWS RELEASE
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 2, 2001 (609) 882-2000 x2586 John R. Hagerty, State Police Public Information Office (609) 882-2000 x6515 |
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State Police Seeking Volunteers To Assist & Counsel
Victims Of Domestic Violence
W. Trenton - The New Jersey State Police Victim Services Unit is seeking volunteers to assist specially trained troopers provide counseling and other support services to victims of domestic violence and abuse at seven rural State Police stations in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, Hunterdon, Salem, Sussex and Warren counties. The victim outreach effort is part of the State Police-sponsored domestic violence "Crisis Response Team" program established earlier this year through $66,500 in federal grant monies from the Division of Criminal Justice's Office of Victim Witness Advocacy as part of available funding through the federal Violence Against Women Act. The funding has allowed State Police to establish, equip and staff the special "Crisis Response Teams" throughout the rural patrol areas of the state. The immediate goal of the State Police Victim Service Unit is to attract at least 20 residents from the selected counties and municipalities to volunteer and participate in the "Crisis Response Team" Program. The most important tool for a crisis response team volunteer is the desire and ability to help others. All volunteers will be required to attend a 40-hour certified course which will focus on domestic violence and related issues such as identifying the dynamics of domestic violence, basic criminal law definitions and provisions, temporary restraining orders, criminal justice system process and emergency services. Volunteers must possess the following qualifications:
Additionally, the State Police is issuing a special request for bilingual individuals and persons fluent in American sign language to volunteer for the program. Training will be provided at no cost and, upon completion of training, the crisis response team volunteer would be available to coordinate services with local service providers such as battered women's shelters, financial aid services and medical and counseling providers as they work to assist victims of domestic violence. Troopers assigned to the State Police Victim Services and Community Policing Units will spearhead the program. The crisis response team, along with the volunteers, will provide counseling and information about the varying county, local and community-based support services directly to the domestic violence victim immediately upon reporting the incident. Through the cadre of trained volunteers staffing the crisis response teams, a victim of domestic violence will be better informed about all available options and, as a result, be better equipped to take advantage of the local, county and state domestic violence-related programs and services. For further information or to apply for one of the seven county Crisis Response Team programs, contact any of the listed State Police stations, the respective County Victim Witness Offices or by leaving a mailing address at the voice mail of the New Jersey State Police Victim Services Unit at (609) 882-2000 x2586. The Crisis Intervention Teams will be established in the following counties at the State Police stations serving the targeted municipalities: ATLANTIC COUNTYBUENA VISTA STATE POLICE STATION @ (609) 625-1105 Buena Vista Township Folsom Boro Weymouth Township CAPE MAY COUNTY CUMBERLAND COUNTY HUNTERDON COUNTY SALEM COUNTY SUSSEX COUNTY WARREN COUNTY # # # |