Brentwood Police Commemorate National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

In commemoration of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW), April 7–13, 2019, Brentwood Police want to raise awareness about crime victims’ issues and rights and introduce the community to resources and services that are available. According to the most recent Bureau of Justice Statistics’ National Crime Victimization Survey, U.S. residents age 12 or older experienced 3.1 million violent encounters and U.S. households experienced an estimated 13.3 million property crimes in 2017.

Brentwood Police are honoring Amy Crossland, the department’s first volunteer victim advocate. “People may not feel like crime happens in Brentwood, but it does. I work mainly with victims of domestic or sexual assault in Brentwood,” Crossland said. Captain Richard Hickey said that Crossland is helpful when police officers sometime are better taking a step back. “Amy offers a different voice, a different set of ears that can be beneficial to victims in their biggest time of need,” Capt. Hickey said. Crossland helps people with assessing their needs as a victim, navigating through the court process, and helping with additional services such as counseling.

This year’s theme for national victims’ rights week – Honoring Our Past. Creating Hope for the Future. – encourages commemoration, honor, and respect toward the crime victim advocates, allied professionals, and selfless volunteers like Crossland who work for increased rights for crime victims.

For additional ways on how to support victims of crime or receive support, visit www.brentwoodtn.gov