Victim's Advocate
General Information
The Victim Assistance Program is a Unit within the Investigations Division of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. Victims of crime may have experience injury, loss, confusion, and a disruption of life. Feelings of Shock, disbelief, fear, vulnerability, anger, and frustration may occur. Having information and an understanding about the criminal justice system may be helpful for you. Our Victim Advocates can assist you navigate this process and provide services and resources that you may need immediately after a crime has occurred.
Contact Information
Phone
(719) 520-7078
Email
shrvap@elpasoco.com
Address
El Paso County Sheriff’s Office
27 East Vermijo Avenue
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
El Programa de Asistencia a Víctimas también provee servicios en Español, por favor llámenos y/o envíenos un email con sus preguntas o comentarios.
Eligibility
Victim assistance is available to any person who is a victim of any of the crimes falling under Colorado Revised Statutes 24-4.1-302 which includes many of the following crimes listed below and occurred within the jurisdiction of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, the Fountain Police Department, and the Manitou Springs Police Department. If you need more information about the Victim’s Rights Act please CLICK HERE.
Victim Advocacy Services
Services are based upon victim’s needs and delivered without discrimination of age, race, gender, or religion. It is the victim’s right to request or refuse these services. Victim advocates provide information about your case, referrals and will be able to guide you to the appropriate county agencies. Advocates can also provide:
- 24 hours, 7 days a week on call victim assistance, immediate crisis intervention and response, safety planning
- Information on the Colorado’s Victim Rights Act (VRA)
- Assistance completing applications for the Crime Victim Compensation Fund
- Referrals to Shelters
- Arrangement of interpretation services for victims with limited English proficiency
- Information and assistance on obtaining protection orders
- Guidance on U Visa Certification information.
- Assistance with VINE registration. (Victim Information Notification Everyday helps you plan for your safety through notifications of custody status and criminal case information—delivered to you in real time)
- Among other services and resources as needed in case-by-case basis.
Helpful Resources
- 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office Home
- Colorado VINE (Victim Information Notification Every day)- register for notifications of an offender’s custody changes
- TESSA Confidential services to victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
- Kingdom Builder’s Family Center
- Colorado Crisis Services Confidential and crisis support by trained counselors
- Kid Power Personal safety and violence prevention education to children ages 3-18 and families
- The Place Services and support to youth ages 15-24 experiencing homelessness
- Silver Key Senior Services For adults age 60 and over
- Servicios de la Raza Education, support, and services to the Latino communities in Colorado
- DOVE Colorado Deaf Overcoming Violence Through Empowerment
- Asian Pacific Development Center Education and advocacy services to Asian American, Pacific Islander, immigrant, and refugee communities in Colorado
- Haseya Advocate Program Native woman-led organization that serves Indigenous survivors of domestic and sexual violence in the Colorado Springs, Colorado region.
- Colorado Legal Services Legal services for low-income individuals and members of vulnerable populations in Colorado
- Information on Protection Orders
Victim Assistance Volunteer Program
If you are interested in applying to become a volunteer victim advocate with El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Victim Assistance Program, please contact The Classes are generally held every year and are approximately 80 hours in length. Please call the Victim Assistance Program Supervisor Pamela Mancini at 719-520-7272 or email the program at shrvap@elpasoco.com
CLICK HERE for more information on volunteering in other areas within the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
U-Visas
Through the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (VTVPA) of 2000, Congress created the U Visa (U non-immigrant classification) to provide legal status to victims of specified crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are helpful in the investigation or prosecution of the criminal act. The U Visa provides eligible crime victims with nonimmigrant status the ability to temporarily remain in the United States while assisting law enforcement.
Who is eligible for a U Visa? The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may find an applicant eligible for a U Visa if the applicant:
- Is the direct or indirect victim of qualifying criminal activity.
- Has suffered substantial physical or mental abuse as a result of having been a victim of criminal activity.
- Has been helpful, is helpful, or is likely to be helpful to a Federal, State, or local prosecutor, to a Federal or State judge, to USCIS, or to other Federal, State, or local authorities investigating or prosecuting criminal activity; and
- The criminal activity violated the laws of the United States or occurred in the U.S. or the territories and possessions of the United States.
- Additional information can be found through the USCIS HERE
El Paso County Sheriff’s Office understands the importance of U Visas to crime victims and is dedicated to review and respond to certification requests. If you are in individual with nonimmigrant status and a victim of a qualifying criminal activity that tis investigated by El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, you or your representative can email the I-918 Supplement B form to shrvap@elpasoco.com
or mail the form to the Victim Assistance Program at 27 E Vermijo Ave Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903.
Para asistencia e información en relación con U Visas, por favor comuníquese con la Supervisora del Programa de Asistencia a Víctimas Pamela Mancini al 719-520-7272.
Victim Services Survey
Your responses to this survey are used to measure the effectiveness of the services provided by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Victim Assistance Program. The Victim Assistance Program is primarily grant funded and the information provided will be used for grant reports. Your input and opinions are important to us! Please take a few moments to complete this survey and help us improve our services to crime victims in El Paso County. Thank you for your feedback!