Kids & Family

Los Gatos/Monte Sereno Police Win Award For Victim Services Unit

Created in 2011, volunteer team of 12 professionals helps local community in times of crisis.

The 38-sworn Los Gatos/Monte Sereno Police Department has won the International Association of Chiefs of Police's 2013 Excellence in Victims Services Award.

The honor recognizes law enforcement agencies that have developed and implemented innovative strategies for providing comprehensive services to crime victims.

The department, lauded as one of the best in the state and country, competed against other departments across the world by highlighting its Victim Services Unit, which is run entirely by 12 local volunteers.

The LGMSPD Victim Services Unit was created in 2011 and is located in the Police Operations Building, 15900 Los Gatos Blvd. Volunteers are available to respond to police-related incidents 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"The unit was established to provide consistent assistance and resources to victims. The ... unit provides service to each and every crime victim," the department said in a press release.

On hand to receive the award on Monday, Oct. 21 at the IACP Conference in Philadelphia was LGMSPD Chief Scott Seaman, Capt. Matt Frisby, Capt. Michael D'Antonio and Kathy Williams, the head of the Victim Services Unit program.

Ironically, while at the award ceremony, Williams received an emergency call from the police department requesting her to help out at the scene of a suicide that had just occurred in town, the department said in the statement.

Williams called another member of the unit to respond to the scene to assit patrol at that incident, the department added.


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