Victim Support and Addressing the Aftermath of Violence

• Instructor:   Mary Nero              REGISTER HERE
• Date:  March 14, 2024
• Location: CBTC campus, room 264
• Hours:  8 a – 5 p

This groundbreaking training meets at the intersection of the human side of crime victims and traditional criminal justice tactics. In the past decade, communities small and large have seen a steady uptick in violent crime ranging from homicide to mass casualty incidents. Modern day law enforcement can no longer arrest their way out of the problem through traditional methods. This training introduces and discusses the future of proactive police work: victim needs and community support for crime reduction. This course is appropriate and applicable to both sworn and non-sworn law enforcement personnel who are driven to make a difference in the communities they serve by focusing on individuals impacted by life altering violence.

Law enforcement professionals will be educated on trauma and trauma-informed practices when interacting with individuals impacted by different types of violence. This training will highlight different ways in which to humanize homicide victims in an effort to leverage community cooperation and bring judicial resolution to ongoing investigations. This training will discuss the importance of collaboration with already established community groups and advocacy resources best positioned to provide meaningful assistance. And finally, the training will provide attendees with new ideas, techniques and methods they can implement in their jurisdictions.

Topics covered and course focus:

• The benefits of having a victim advocacy program for your law enforcement agency
• How to establish victim advocacy within your agency and gain support from management and the community
• Different methods for addressing the aftermath of violence
• How to provide follow-up resources to victims and why it matters
• Identifying victim resources available in your community
• How to create and organize events to promote an environment of solidarity and healing within affected communities in order to bridge the gap between law enforcement and community
• Effective ways to humanize victims in order to gain community cooperation in homicide investigations
• A breakout session focusing on best practices for successful implementation of these ideas and techniques in your jurisdiction

Instructor: Mary Nero

Mary Nero is a Victim Advocate in North Carolina where she is assigned to the homicide unit in a metropolitan city. Prior to becoming an advocate, Mary was a sworn police officer from 2003 to 2017 where she spent the bulk of that time investigating major crimes involving both children and adults. At the end of her sworn tenure, she was a detective in the homicide unit. Mary brings a unique perspective to the advocacy world: the real-world knowledge of what it takes to investigate and prosecute violent offenses combined with an innate sense of victim needs while utilizing empathy and emotional support when working with survivors of violent crime.