Chelsea Police Department 2012 Annual Report | Page 37

Casa Divert
The team has monthly meetings to ensure arrest and prosecution and discuss case progress to make sure offenders do not fall between the cracks. CASA Divert has also provided aftercare and supportive services for victims/ survivors as well. Team members also encouraging restraining orders to ensure their personal and family safety as needed if the victim chooses and as long as personal safety is not at risk. In 09/2012 the Chelsea Department Police hired a new CASA Divert Program Coordinator to provide information on high-risk offenders to all team members. The Program Coordinator also forwards police reports to area law enforcement and court agencies if a CASA Divert offender committed an arrestable offense in another community. From the beginning of 2012 CASA Divert had 27 high-risk cases on the active & watch list. By the end of the year, the team had 35 and the number increasing each month in 2013. Of the 35 offenders, nine were sentenced for domestic violence and other violent crimes or held for pretrial.

In 2012 the CASA Divert team broadened the criteria for the high-risk team (let me know if you want the list as I have it at my desk) in order to track more offenders. CASA Divert also resubmitted a grant proposal to keep the program running for the next 3 years until 2016 CASA Divert has also included the Chelsea Police Newcomer Advocate Claire Contreras by forwarding any domestic violence reports on underserved populations to her attention. With that information, the Newcomer Advocate can reach out to families to provide community services to assist them as well as provide domestic violence information as well.

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