state grants

THURSDAY. ITS COMING UP MICHELLE. THANK YOU. THE GREENSBORO POLICE DEPARTMENTS VICTIM SERVICES UNIT IS REFLECTING ON ITS FIRST SIX MONTHS OF FULL STAFF SINCE GETTING A FEDERAL GRANT. OUR SARAH SOWERS CAUGHT UP WITH THAT TEAM TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE THEYVE HELPED. ALTHOUGH CRIME IS DOWN IN GREENSBORO, THIS YEAR, THE VICTIM SERVICES UNIT SAYS THEYVE BEEN BUSIER THAN EVER, HELPING MORE THAN 100 VICTIMS SINCE JUNE. GREENSBORO POLICE DEPARTMENTS VICTIM SERVICES UNIT IS COMPRISED OF THREE FORMER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. THEY SPEND EACH DAY REACHING OUT TO VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIMES, INCLUDING MURDERS, SHOOTINGS AND ARMED ROBBERIES. WHEN YOURE A VICTIM AND A SURVIVOR, THERE IS NO SOLVED. IT NEVER GOES AWAY FROM EXPLAINING THE COURT PROCESS TO PROVIDING RESOURCES FOR COUNSELING. VSU DIRECTOR MARY NERO SAYS SUPPORT SPECIALISTS WORK ALONGSIDE DETECTIVES TO ASSIST VICTIMS LONG AFTER CRIME SCENE TAPE COMES DOWN. THE TIMES ARE STILL STANDING. THEYRE LIKE, OKAY, WELL, WHAT DO I DO NEXT? SO WE ARE THERE FOR THE AFTERMATH. NERO SAYS EACH CASE IS EVALUATED AT THE VICTIMS PACE. SOMETIMES IT TAKES MONTHS BEFORE THEY ARE READY TO TALK ABOUT THE CRIME AND THEN TO DECIDE WHAT RESOURCES THEY NEED, WHETHER ITS THEYRE LOOKING FOR INCOME BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO LEAVE WHERE THEYRE LIVING AT CURRENTLY BECAUSE OF THE CRIME THAT HAPPENED THERE OR HELPING PAY FOR FUNERALS WITH OUR HOMICIDE VICTIMS. ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO THATS THE ANSWER THAT WE GIVE THEM IS BEING ABLE TO BE THEIR VOICE FOR THEIR RESOURCES. SINCE THE UNIT EXPANDED THIS SUMMER, NERO SAYS THEIR CAPACITY TO SUPPORT VICTIMS HAS GROWN THEIR SUCCESS IN HELPING VICTIMS. THE SPECIALISTS SAY, COMES AS TRUST GROWS. GRIEF IS NOT LINEAR AND SO A LOT OF PEOPLE, WHEN THEYRE EXHIBITING OR FEELING GRIEF, THERES A LOT OF PLACES YOU DONT KNOW WHERE TO TURN OR WHERE TO START. SPECIFICALLY, WHEN IT COMES TO THE FACT THAT YOU ARE A VICTIM OF VIOLENT CRIME AND THAT ALL THAT WE ASK FOR IS THAT OPEN HONESTY, BECAUSE IT HELPS US DO OUR JOB BETTER TO BETTER ASSIST, TO GET THEM THE MOST RESOURCES AND SUPPORT. VSU SAYS THAT IN THE FUTURE THEY HOPE THEY CAN ALSO ASSIST VICTIMS AND FAMILIES OF HIT AND RUN FATALITIES AS WELL. REPORTING IN GREENSBOR