Grand Junction Police Searching For Volunteers

The Grand Junction Police Department is currently looking for people who have the heart and compassion to stand with people who are experiencing some of the most difficult times in their lives.

Grand Junction Police are searching for additional volunteers who will serve as GJPD Victim Advocates. On a daily basis, Victim Advocate Program volunteers (VAPS) offer support, comfort, and critical information to victims of crimes and other traumatic incidents.

Victim Advocate Program volunteers work 12-hour on-call shifts, and respond in person to various law enforcement related incidents.

The next Victim Advocate training session is scheduled to start the second week of March. Training sessions are two nights a week for six weeks.

Anyone interested in becoming a Victim Advocate are encouraged to contact Victim Services Coordinator Mary Harmeling at 970-549-5290 or email her at maryh@gjcity.org.

The Victim Services unit of the GJPD was established in 1992, and addresses the personal needs of victims of crime and other traumatic incidents. Its purpose is to ensure that no victim remains alone or uninformed.

The Colorado Victim Rights Amendment guarantees crime victims the right to be treated with fairness, dignity and respect, and the right to be present and heard at all critical stages in the criminal justice system.

The GJPD Victim Services is available to any victim needing support, information or resources during the ongoing investigations of their cases or judicial system procedures.

More information about Victim Services can be found at www.gjcity.org/GJPDVolunteers.