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Cass County sheriff's office outlines volunteer victim service unit
Summary
Cass County Sheriff's Office staff described a volunteer victim service unit that provides immediate, short-term emotional support and referrals at scenes of deaths and other traumatic events.
The Cass County Sheriff's Office presented its volunteer Victim Service Unit to the board, describing short-term crisis support volunteers provide at scenes of deaths, suicides, traffic fatalities, house fires and other traumatic events.
The Victim Service Unit (VSU) is a volunteer group coordinated by Tracy Monroe, operations manager and VSU coordinator at the Cass County Sheriff's Office. Monroe told the board the unit provides immediate on-scene emotional support, helps separate victims from scenes while maintaining a link to law enforcement and offers referrals to longer-term community services.
The program’s role, Monroe said, is to “provide several key services such as immediate on scene emotional support and comfort” and to free up police and emergency personnel to focus on investigations. She described the work as short-term crisis intervention and said advocates explain next steps such as funeral arrangements, autopsies and the court system.
An unnamed senior sheriff’s office speaker added context on how the unit operates alongside patrol: advocates accompany law enforcement to scenes and remain to assist families after officers leave. Monroe said volunteers receive a 20-hour specialized training through the Michigan Sheriffs Association that covers grief stages, communications and victims’ rights.
Monroe introduced volunteer team members present at the meeting, including Shannon Jurgensen, Tom Langley, Sue and Roger Boyer, Nancy Hudson, Marsha Gottesak, Dacia Kirkland and Connie Ferrier, and noted support from a chaplain team, including Pastor Nate Wilder.
The presentation did not propose formal policy changes or budget requests during the meeting; it was informational. Board members thanked the volunteers and chaplains for their time and service.
