VICTIM SERVICES
Victim Services Unit
The Prescott Police Department Victim Services Unit can provide services to victims of crime. This includes intimate partner and domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, robbery, assault, survivors of attempted homicide, stalking, and harassment. Our victim advocates work closely with the Investigations Section to ensure communication is ongoing. That helps ensure victims are able to navigate the criminal justice system with greater understanding and clarity.
How We Can Help
- Information and Community Resource Referrals
- Assist with Order of Protection and Injunction Against Harassment
- Safety Planning
- Emotional Support
- Case Updates
- Court Accompaniment for Criminal Matters
- Victim Rights Information
What We Do
Our victim advocates work with victims of crime helping connect them with community resources. This includes shelter, food, clothing, etc., assisting in navigating the criminal justice system, and ensuring their rights as a victim are being honored. Our victim advocates can act as a liaison between the victim and various agencies involved, not only keeping the victim informed, but giving them a voice.
Intimate Partner Violence Risk Assessment Tool
Intimate Partner Violence (generally referred to as domestic violence) includes physical, emotional, sexual, verbal, social and financial abuse between individuals in a former or current legal marriage, who are living together, or in a dating relationship.
When responding to intimate partner violence calls for service, officers of the Prescott Police Department administer a questionnaire (tool) designed to assess the likelihood that an intimate partner relationship could result in a near lethal or lethal outcome by identifying risk markers within the dynamics of the relationship.
Our victim advocates utilize the victim’s responses to work with meeting his/her individual needs in an effort to better address safety concerns and enhance our service to victims of intimate partner violence.
Meet Eden
Eden is the Prescott Police Department’s first Facility K9. Eden is a Standard Goldendoodle and was born on May 13, 2021. At just 8 weeks of age, Eden began her task trainings that she will perform when working with victims of trauma and crime. These tasks include her ability to detect physical and chemical changes in a victim recovering from a traumatic event by recognizing an increase of Cortisol immittance which spikes when humans are stressed. One of the tasks she can execute is to engage the victim and interrupt the Cortisol dump by performing the task “cover” which is where she lays across the lap of an individual, in turn providing comfort and reduction of stress, similar to that of a weighted blanket. Eden will remain in the cover position until the victim’s Cortisol level reduces to a normal range or is called back by her handler.
An ever-increasing body of scientific research shows that regular interaction with gentle, caring, supportive and affectionate emotional support dogs, promotes extremely positive mental, emotional, and physical benefits. These dogs have been shown to reduce stress levels, manage depression, and foster an overall holistic sense of well-being such as improved immediate mood, comfort and overall mindset.
The Prescott Police Department is following in a growing trend of utilizing systems-based Facility K9’s that are an effective tool in promoting meaningful participation in the criminal justice system. This innovative program helps us meet our department’s vision of being a leader in our region in providing superior public safety services, while continuing to strive to reach above our standards and putting our citizens best interest at the forefront of our daily practice.
Amy Fillingim
Senior Victim Advocate
Prescott Police Department Victim Services Unit
For over 16 years Amy has worked in a variety of positions as a civilian in law enforcement. She began her career in February 2006 as a Police Services Technician for the Murrieta Police Department in Murrieta, California. In 2010, Amy followed her family to the greater Prescott area after accepting a position with the Prescott Regional Communications Center as a 911 Dispatcher where she served as a police dispatcher for Prescott, Prescott Valley, Yavapai Tribal, and Yavapai College Police Departments. In January 2016, Amy was selected to fill the role of the department’s first Victim Advocate. Since that time, Amy has helped to develop and grow the Prescott Police Departments Victim Services Unit.
Amy works side by side with victims of violent crime helping them to navigate the often overwhelming and confusing criminal justice system, providing emotional support, ensuring their rights as a victim are maintained, and connecting them with community resources. In November of 2018 Amy was promoted to Senior Victim Advocate where, along with her duties as an advocate, she completes mandatory statistical quarterly and annual reporting for the grant that funds the Victim Services Unit in the police department.
Amy graduated with her Associate of Arts in Administration of Justice with honors from Yavapai College in December 2013. She went on to graduate Cum Laude from Arizona State University in December 2017 with her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Criminology. In August of 2016, Amy was certified as a General Instructor (GI) through Prescott Police Department and AZPOST. The following May of 2017, Amy was recommended by Command staff and selected as the Lead Instructor for the Victimology course where she instructs officer recruits on the dynamics of victimology at Northern Arizona Regional Training Academy (NARTA).
Amy was honored with Celebrating Women in Yavapai County in Law Enforcement “Unsung Hero” award in 2019, and Prescott Police Department’s “Civilian of the Year” award in 2020.
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Civil Rights Disclaimer
The City of Prescott provides services without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, veteran status or disability status.
