HUNDREDS of the most vulnerable victims of crime in Swindon will today have access to the new Horizon Victim and Witness Care service, which provides a central point of contact from crime to court.
Wiltshire Police officially launched the newly funded service last month and it will go live for the Swindon area as of today.
Unprecedented investment is being made in the new service at a time of deep austerity for the force, as they seek to put an emphasis on victim support that has historically been lacking.
It will draw on the expertise of an existing group in Chippenham and expects to support thousands of victims every year by identifying the most vulnerable and directing them to appropriate agencies, supporting them through the judicial process.
Angus Macpherson, Police and Crime Commissioner for Swindon and Wiltshire, said the service would help countless victims of crime.
“Horizon Victim and Witness Care is a new team of police staff who will help to provide a co-ordinated, consistent end-to-end service for victims and witnesses, from their first point of contact with Wiltshire Police through the entire criminal justice process,” he said.
Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police Pat Geenty said: “This new service is not about processes and systems, it is about people.
"And the way this has been designed will make Wiltshire one of the leading forces in victim support.” Sgt Simon Cowdrey of the Horizon Project Team said Horizons would be a service which worked with victims from the moment a crime was reported.
“The local bobby will identify the most vulnerable victims of crime across our communities and they will be identified with an assessment conducted at the first point of contact,” he said.
“Someone will be assigned to their case within 24 hours and will become their single point of contact to support the victim throughout the investigation.
“Horizon will have a supervisor and 13 victim and witness care officers.
“They will be made aware of any significant developments in their case within 24 hours.
"And every victim will be given information about what they should expect from the criminal justice system.”
To obtain more information about how the Horizon Victim and Witness Care scheme will work, visit www.wiltshire.police.uk/horizon
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