The Sandy Springs Police Department has a victim assistance program for its citizens who are victims of crimes. Stacey Sanders, the department’s Victim Advocate, is assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division.
What can your victim advocate do to help you?
- Provide crisis intervention at the scene of a crime.
- Provide emergency shelter information, different counseling resources that are available, and information regarding financial services that are available.
- Assist victims through the process of obtaining Temporary Protection Orders to help provide another layer of protection.
- Provide information regarding the judicial system and what they can expect from it.
- Facilitate the transition of the victim from dealing with our agency to dealing with the Solicitor’s Office or the District Attorney’s Office.
- Serve as a point of contact for questions or concerns for the victim from the time of the crime to the adjudication of the case.
This helps the city by:
- Allowing the time and energy of the detectives to be focused on the investigation.
- Reducing the anxiety of crime victims by allowing them to feel like they are kept up to date with the investigation and prepared for the next steps in the judicial process.
- Allowing citizens to have a point of contact for general questions that don’t require an emergency response.
- Reassuring the city that we care about the victims of crime and aren’t only focused on criminals.
Stacey is able to assist victims in obtaining emergency shelter information, emotional and psychological counseling as well as financial reimbursement through the Georgia Crime Victims Compensation Program.
You can contact Stacey directly at ssanders@sandyspringsga.gov or 770-551-6908.
Officer Larry Jacobs is the Crime Prevention Officer for the Sandy Springs Police Department. He can be reached at ljacobs@sandyspringsga.gov.