Transforming Vision into Practice: A Case Study on Implementing Law Enforcement-Based Victim Services

Embark on a transformative journey with our training focused on how to implement law enforcement-based victim services. Explore innovative strategies, data that supports implementation and growth, policies that inform practice, and strategic planning. This real-world case study will afford participants the opportunity to gain a profound understanding of the challenges faced by victims of violent crime and explore evidence-based approaches to enhance support services.

Led by seasoned professionals from the Louisville Metro Police Department, this webinar aims to equip attendees with practical skills and knowledge, fostering a more compassionate and effective response from law enforcement. Join us in learning how to provide meaningful access to support services and contribute to a justice system that prioritizes healing, empowerment, and justice.

Participants will acquire an in-depth understanding of how to implement law enforcement-based victim services. Participants will explore best practices and data, engage in discussions, and gain a comprehensive knowledge base to inform their professional practice.
Participants will acquire practical skills to apply evidence-based approaches in their roles within the criminal justice system. Participants will explore tools that foster a more effective and compassionate response to victims of violent crime.
Participants will have the opportunity to engage in innovative, strategic thinking that contributes to systematic changes in victim advocacy within law enforcement. Participants will gain insights into the challenges faced by victims and the broader system, empowering them to strategize and contribute to the transformation of justice practices.

Speaker and Presenter Information

Nicole Carroll is the Director of the Victim Services Unit at the Louisville Metro Police Department. Nicole has provided support and advocacy services to victims of crime for 16 years. She began her career with the Vanderbilt University Police Department in 2007 where she served as the Victim Services Coordinator and was tasked with developing victim services for the university. Nicole moved to Alexandria, Virginia, and worked as a Victim Services Specialist for the Fairfax County Police Department from 2012 to 2016. During her tenure with the Fairfax County Police Department, Nicole received departmental honors including the Team Excellence Award and the Meritorious Award.

In 2016, the Louisville Metro Police Department hired Nicole to establish the Victim Services Unit to ensure the fair, compassionate, and sensitive treatment of victims and witnesses of crime. As the Director of the Victim Services Unit, Nicole recognizes that violent crime has the potential to change the course of a persons life and impact not only victims, but witnesses, families, and entire communities. The Victim Services Unit supports crime victims and witnesses by helping them to navigate the criminal justice system and by responding to their emotional, physical, and financial needs. The Victim Services Unit ensures victims and witnesses of crime are treated with respect and dignity and afforded rights and services designed to address the specifics of their victimization. Because advocacy services facilitate victim recovery and victim engagement in the investigation and prosecution of their case, Nicole hired a team of 18 victim services professionals to include a therapy dog to expand the service capacity of the Victim Services Unit.

Nicoles core competencies include team leadership, education and training, budget management, grant writing, strategic planning, policy and procedure development, and a keen knowledge of victim services provision, crisis intervention, and the criminal justice system. Nicole serves as a consultant and subject matter expert for the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the CNA Corporation, and the Institute for Intergovernmental Research, her work entitled, Building a Unit to Bridge the Gap was published in the October 2021 edition of the International Association of Chiefs of Polices Police Chief Magazine, and she was the Louisville Metro Police Departments Civilian Supervisor of the Year in 2020. She has assisted numerous law enforcement agencies across the country with the implementation of law enforcement-based victim services. Nicole is an instructor at the Louisville Metro Police Departments Training Academy, and she serves as a curriculum developer and adjunct instructor for the University of Louisvilles Southern Police Institute. Nicole holds a Bachelor of Criminal Justice degree with honors and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice degree with honors from Tiffin University in Tiffin, OH.