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DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

The Miami Beach Police Department is committed to addressing domestic violence within our community. Domestic violence has reached epidemic proportions in society and positive efforts are being made to combat the problem. As an office, we provide unique services to domestic violence victims, victims of crime, and their children, such as:
- criminal justice support and advocacy
- information and referrals
- emergency transportation
- emergency food vouchers
- Counseling services specializing in trauma resolution and community activism.
Our office wants to continue it’s effective legal and social interventions to all victims of crime, as well as implementation of services for the underserved population, including but not limited to, elderly abuse victims, gay and lesbian victims, and ethnic minorities who are victims of crime.The City of Miami Beach Police Department’s Domestic Violence office / Violent Crime section serves as a catalyst for victims of crime and their families to receive effective legal and social intervention. Our office has formed a unique collaborative partnership with the Miami-Dade County Bar Association Legal Aid Society, safe space, the Domestic Violence Intake Unit, Victim Services Center, The State Attorney’s Office and the Florida Department of Children and Families in order to ensure effective and holistic intervention for domestic violence victims, as well as victims of crime and their children. Furthermore, we provide community awareness projects to enlighten the community of the pervasive and devastating effects of domestic violence. Having the Dade County Bar Association Legal Society involved with the Police Department ensures that the victims of domestic violence will have the opportunity to obtain legal representation. These services are implemented to ensure continued support and direct assistance after the crime has occurred, in order to reduce further victimization and improve victim participation and involvement in the criminal justice process. Our office focuses on issues of domestic violence, family violence, dating violence, sexual assaults, same-sex battering, child welfare, abuse of elderly and multi-cultural awareness.The services provided by our office include:
- supportive counseling services (specifically crisis intervention and trauma resolution);
- follow-up contact (in-person, through phone contacts and certified letters);
- information and referrals in-person and through certified letters (community service agencies and shelters);
- criminal justice support and advocacy;
- emergency transportation and assistance in filing victim’s compensation claims.
The Miami Beach Police Department’s Domestic Violence office/ Violent Crime section also provides information and offers direct assistance to victim’s compensation claims. As a unit, we make victims aware of the availability of crime victim compensation, by providing them with documentation on the victim compensation program. The City of Miami Beach Police Departments Domestic Violence office / Violent Crime section has further expanded to include services provided to homicide survivor’s victims, sexual battery/violent sex crime and other violent crime victims/survivors as needed.The philosophy of the unit embraces a holistic approach to dealing with the complex crime of violence in the families. Our Domestic Violence Office / Violent Crime Section serves as a catalyst for most victims to seek and ultimately receive legal and social intervention, as well as a liaison between the police department and other entities. Some of these entities include:
- The Miami-Dade County Bar Association Legal Aid Society (legal representation)
- The Domestic Violence Intake Unit (injunctions)
- Safe space (shelter, relocation)
- Victims Service Center (counseling)
We coordinate services with these entities by daily contact and various monthly meetings. The office is unique in its implementation of services because it is an integral part of the law enforcement agency. Victims of crime are able to receive intervention and a myriad of client specific services at the point of crisis or shortly thereafter. The availability is crucial when effectively dealing with persons who are traumatized by their victimization. Our office continues to be at the forefront of many local task forces, like the Haitian Task Force Against Domestic Violence, and the Miami Dade County Alliance Against Domestic Violence. The services that our office provides are unique within the City of Miami Beach, because we are the initial point of contact for crime victims.As a direct result of crime, the victims suffered loss of property, cash, medical expenses and lost wages due to injuries and court proceedings. The emotional damage and social isolation caused by the victimization can be compounded by a lack of support resulting in re-victimization. The Miami Beach Police Department’s Domestic Violence / Violent Crime section serves as a link between the victim and the criminal justice system. We provide tools that aid victims in regaining control of their lives. We are committed to providing the citizens and visitors of the City of Miami Beach the best service possible.