Set to begin June 1, VVS to provide on-scene support for CVMO during domestic violence and sexual assault calls
CAMP VERDE, Ariz. — In a collaborative effort to coordinate services, Verde Valley Sanctuary (VVS) entered an agreement with the Town of Camp Verde to assist the Camp Verde Marshal’s Office (CVMO) with crisis response calls involving survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
According to the agreement, which was signed at the Camp Verde Town Council meeting May 6, VVS agrees to provide on-scene support during a domestic violence or sexual assault situation that CVMO responds to, as needed. This agreement goes beyond on-site response but allows VVS advocates to be at the hospital with a survivor who needs medical treatment in an effort to provide immediate support.
“Survivors who chose to report their victimization to law enforcement will be able to interface with an advocate from Verde Valley Sanctuary almost immediately, as opposed to having to reach out for help on their own following victimization,” VVS Executive Director Jessye Johnson said.
VVS also agreed to serve as the ongoing support agency for survivors, providing case management, referrals, and housing assistance, in addition to assisting with the navigation of the local court system to help them obtain orders of protection, divorce agreements, separation agreements, filing critical paperwork and attending court hearings. VVS can also provide crisis intervention, support groups, transportation and emergency financial assistance, based on availability.
“This partnership allows Verde Valley Sanctuary and the Marshal’s Office to benefit from each other’s experience and help survivors,” Johnson said. “Verde Valley Sanctuary can respond and deliver voluntary, trauma-informed services while deputies can focus their energy on holding perpetrators accountable.”
Johnson added that survivors receiving immediate support will have positive effects on the community as a whole.
“Research shows that survivors who have access to an advocate from initial victimization have higher rates of participation in the criminal justice process and report an increase in their quality of life,” Johnson said, citing “Criminal Prosecution of Domestic Violence Offenses: An Investigation of Factors Predictive of Court Outcomes” study done in a 2005 report by the Criminal Justice and Behavior.
In addition, VVS agreed to provide CVMO deputies and staff with additional training and information on the issues of domestic violence and sexual assault.
“This collaboration strengthens the community’s ability to provide compassionate care, advocacy, and long-term resources while ensuring a coordinated response between law enforcement, medical professionals, and victim service organizations,” CVMO Marshal Dan Jacobs said in a statement.
CVMO agreed to serve as a referral agency to VVS, and provide relevant data for the purpose of future potential grant applications and program expansion.
Jacobs said victim advocacy services are essential in helping individuals “navigate the emotional trauma” that follows domestic violence and sexual assault cases.
“Trained advocates provide guidance, safety planning, emotional support, and assistance with medical and legal processes,” Jacobs said. “By working together, our deputies can focus on the criminal investigation while knowing victims are receiving the care, guidance and support they need.”
Serving as the primary law enforcement agency in the Town of Camp Verde, CVMO currently has 26 sworn officers within the department, and 14 civilian staff. The agency retains the traditional “Marshal” designation and dispatches for the Yavapai Apache Police Department, and U.S. Parks Service Officers.
“Through partnerships with organizations like Verde Valley Sanctuary, victims in Camp Verde will have access to … emergency shelter, court advocacy, legal assistance, and additional support services,” Jacobs said. “Together, these partnerships reflect the Camp Verde Marshal’s Office’s commitment to a victim-centered approach focused on safety, healing, and justice.”
In fiscal year 2024-25, VVS provided services to more than 1,500 survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, including nearly 9,500 bed nights provided and almost 1,300 crisis hotline calls answered, a 28% increase from the previous year.
The agreement goes into effect as of June 1 for a duration of 12 months. After 12 months, both parties will reconvene to update and execute another agreement if desired and necessary.
Camp Verde Mayor Marie Moore said the town is “proud” to formalize this partnership between CVMO and VVS.
“The services provided by Verde Valley Sanctuary are absolutely vital to our community and to the individuals and families facing some of the most difficult moments of their lives,” Moore said in a statement. “Domestic violence and sexual assault are issues that impact communities of every size, including our own.”
Moore went on to say that the agreement only strengthens the relationship between VVS, CVMO and the Town of Camp Verde, allowing for a more coordinated, “trauma-informed response that better supports survivors” while also providing training for deputies.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have Verde Valley Sanctuary serving the Verde Valley, and we deeply appreciate their compassion, professionalism, and commitment to helping those in need,” Moore said.
In a similar agreement, VVS already provides support to the Cottonwood Police Department when their victim advocate is unavailable. The Sedona Police Department has a victim advocate on staff, and although VVS is available if needed, there is no official agreement in place. CVMO does not currently have a victim advocate on staff.
VVS began more than three decades ago as a grassroots organization of women who were concerned about domestic violence in the community. The original group of volunteers began taking crisis calls in their homes and transporting victims of abuse to the nearest shelters 50-plus miles away in Flagstaff, Pres
Thanks to generous donations from the community, VVS opened the first domestic violence shelter in the Verde Valley region in 1993 with a leased modular home that slept six. Since then, VVS has strategically expanded and now offers comprehensive services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence in both residential and community-based formats.
Their mission, which is to provide safety, services, and comfort to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, serves a 714-square-mile region that encompasses a significant portion of Yavapai County including Cottonwood, Camp Verde, Clarkdale, Cornville, Jerome, Rimrock, Sedona, and Lake Montezuma. Nearly 70% of VVS clients come from the area, with the rest of survivors coming from around the state of Arizona and beyond.
About
Verde Valley Sanctuary’s mission is to provide safety, services, and comfort to survivors of domestic and sexual violence. The agency began in 1993 as a grassroots organization with a leased modular home that slept six and has grown into a 28-bed emergency shelter with transitional housing options, lay legal advocacy services, community-based advocacy support, a 24/7/365 crisis hotline (928-634-2511) and a staff that takes pride in its youth violence prevention education and public outreach and awareness. VVS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and qualifying charitable organization for the Arizona Tax Credit. Federal Tax ID: #86-071314; QCO Code: #20041. Visit VerdeValleySanctuary.org for more information.