STATE OF VERMONT

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

VERMONT STATE POLICE

Vermont State Police expands Victim Services Unit

WATERBURY, Vermont (Friday, August 20, 2021) — The Vermont State Police has expanded its ability to provide victim services to Vermont community members with the hiring of Amy Farr, MSW, as a victim services specialist.

Farr will work with people who have experienced trauma, and she will help victims and witnesses navigate challenging circumstances while cases are under investigation. This position, as part of the Victim Services Unit, was made possible through funding support from the federal government and enhances resources dedicated to meeting emotional needs of those harmed in our community.

The Victim Services Unit was created in 2017 with the hiring of a victim services director, Kathryn Brayton, LICSW, to support families during Major Crime Unit investigations. The new position is housed in the Bureau of Criminal Investigations.

“The introduction of on-scene and ongoing support yielded benefits for victims, their families, investigating officers, and the community,” said Col. Matthew T. Birmingham, director of the Vermont State Police. “We are delighted to welcome Amy to the Victim Services Unit. The opportunity to expand this program to include more types of criminal investigations will allow the Victim Services Unit to support more community members who are affected by crime.”

The new position is the result of the state police’s receipt of a competitive $450,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. The federal dollars will support the victim services specialist for three years.

Farr joined the team in early June and comes to the Vermont State Police with deep knowledge and experience working with crime victims. For more than 20 years she has worked within the criminal justice system providing direct service to victims and their families and serving on a number of committees and boards aimed at improving supports and access. She brings a victim-centered lens to her work.

“I am really excited about this opportunity to serve Vermonters in a new capacity,” Farr said. “It is an honor to be able to contribute to the expansion of the Victim Services Unit in the Vermont State Police.”

VSP’s Bureau of Criminal Investigations is primarily responsible for the investigation of criminal offenses including death investigations, robberies, embezzlements, fire investigations, missing persons cases and other serious crimes. Like the Major Crime Unit, BCI is a component of VSP’s Criminal Division.

MEDIA CONTACT

Interview requests may be made by email to the Vermont State Police public information officer, Adam Silverman, at adam.silverman@vermont.gov.

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