Police chief: victim advocates helped about 350 people in past six months; council to meet advocates in December

Police Chief Jeff Carr told the South Jordan City Council that the city’s victim-advocate program assisted about 350 people in the six months from January through June.

"They have assisted 350 individuals," Carr said during the council's presentation segment, adding that "about half, a little over half of that work is in the domestic violence area." The advocates are funded in part by a VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) grant and provide scene response, safety planning and connections to services, Carr said.

Carr described recent additional training for advocates that allows them to provide limited legal guidance on protective orders, which he said is valuable when people seek protection without wanting to file a police report. He said the advocates also help coordinate with prosecutors and can assist people in accessing domestic-violence shelters when needed.

Council members asked clarifying questions about how cases are categorized and whether any entries listed as "kidnapping" involved stranger abductions. Carr said the entries were family-related domestic situations and that the city has issued only one AMBER Alert in the recent past. He also confirmed that two advocates, Kaylee and Kylie, will attend a December meeting to give a fuller annual report.

Camille Grama, an art teacher who identified herself during public comment, urged continued support for arts funding and described benefits she sees in her students; the council did not act on arts funding but the comment was noted on the public record.

The council did not take formal action on the victim-advocate report at the meeting; staff will bring the advocates to a December meeting for a more comprehensive presentation.