Victim Services

Victim Services Unit

Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office Victim Services Unit (VSU) is an organization of volunteers dedicated to providing initial support needed by victims of crisis or crime. VSU responds to such incident types as:

• Death Notifications
• Deaths
• Drownings
• Fires
• Homicides
• Industrial Accidents
• Natural Disasters
• Plane Crashes
• Traffic Accidents

Victims

When a sudden, unexpected crisis occurs in our lives, we frequently experience degrees of depression, despair, confusion, and emotional shock. Imagine what a victim of random violence feels, or someone who has arrived home to find their personal property has been violated, a driver who has struck a child, a wife whose husband suddenly dies, or a homeowner whose home and memories have been destroyed by fire.

Responding Challenges

It is these and other life experiences that we all dread but may be forced to endure. VSU volunteers respond to these challenges and the following:

• Help arrange follow-up services
• Help arrange for shelter, food, clothing
• Notify family and friends
• Provide comfort and emotional support
• Provide information and referral to appropriate agencies for on-going assistance
• Serve as liaison between the victim and other agencies

Coverage for Ottawa County Residents

The VSU provides 24/7/365 coverage for Ottawa County residents. VSU volunteers are scheduled as teams to be on-call for 12-hour shifts (a.m. or p.m.), for seven-day periods to provide initial support for victims. Police and fire personnel, when necessary, contact 911 dispatchers to request VSU assistance. The on-call VSU team is then paged to respond immediately to the scene.

The Victim Service Unit is available to any police or fire department in Ottawa County by contacting the Central Dispatch Non-Emergency Line at 1-800-249-0911​.