Adams County Sheriff’s Office Recognizes National Crime Victims Week - April 19, 2010

Outside the Adams County Sheriff’s office on a beautiful Colorado spring day, Sheriff Doug Darr, Adams and Broomfield County District Attorney Don Quick, representatives from the Brighton Police Department and crime victims and crime victim’s families gathered with the current Sheriff’s Cadet class to recognize crime victims in our county and how their rights have been established and are now respected.

Sheriff Darr asked the crowd to consider how it must feel to be a victim of a crime, how it must feel to be hospitalized with serious injuries, to find that your offender is out on bail, while you suffer with your injuries and attempt to pay unexpected medical bills, lose time at work or school and with your family. It used to be that victims were not even allowed to attended court hearing or be notified as to the status of their case. That has all changed and now there are victims advocates who assure that all crime victims are treated with fairness, dignity and respect.

District Attorney Don Quick also wanted to recognize that it is also Volunteer Appreciation Week, as victims services are mostly all volunteer. He also shared that in his career he has a chance every day to make a difference and that is why he loves what he does prosecuting crime and protecting society. He asked the newly minted cadets to understand that sometime victims do not have families to support them and that the cadets themselves will become that support system. The District Attorney also said “We have a terrific Sheriff here in Adams County, a great partner.

See the next issue of the Gateway News for our expanded interview granted to us by Sheriff Doug Darr.