Considerations for Recruitment and Retention of Victim Services Unit Personnel

Terry Huertaz assumed the role of Victim Liaison Manager for the Albuquerque Police Department in 2021. Her commitment to aiding survivors of homicide and victims of violent crime during their most challenging times is the foundation of her work. Terry’s experience in the field, spanning over two decades within New Mexico’s criminal justice system, has made her a respected leader and an invaluable asset to her community.

One of Terry's principal responsibilities is establishing a Victim Assistance Unit within the department. She recognizes the vital importance of providing resources to survivors, helping them heal, and navigating the complex justice system.

Nicole Carroll is the Director of the Victim Services Unit at the Louisville Metro Police Department. Nicole has provided support and advocacy services to victims of crime for 16 years. She began her career with the Vanderbilt University Police Department in 2007 where she served as the Victim Services Coordinator and was tasked with developing victim services for the university. Nicole moved to Alexandria, Virginia, and worked as a Victim Services Specialist for the Fairfax County Police Department from 2012 to 2016. During her tenure with the Fairfax County Police Department, Nicole received departmental honors including the Team Excellence Award and the Meritorious Award.

In 2016, the Louisville Metro Police Department hired Nicole to establish the Victim Services Unit to ensure the fair, compassionate, and sensitive treatment of victims and witnesses of crime. As the Director of the Victim Services Unit, Nicole recognizes that violent crime has the potential to change the course of a person's life and impact not only victims, but witnesses, families, and entire communities. The Victim Services Unit supports crime victims and witnesses by helping them to navigate the criminal justice system and by responding to their emotional, physical, and financial needs. The Victim Services Unit ensures victims and witnesses of crime are treated with respect and dignity and afforded rights and services designed to address the specifics of their victimization. Because advocacy services facilitate victim recovery and victim engagement in the investigation and prosecution of their case, Nicole hired a team of 18 victim services professionals to include a therapy dog to expand the service capacity of the Victim Services Unit.

Nicole's core competencies include team leadership, education and training, budget management, grant writing, strategic planning, policy and procedure development, and a keen knowledge of victim services provision, crisis intervention, and the criminal justice system. Nicole serves as a consultant and subject matter expert for the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the CNA Corporation, and the Institute for Intergovernmental Research, her work entitled, "Building a Unit to Bridge the Gap" was published in the October 2021 edition of the International Association of Chiefs of Police's Police Chief Magazine, and she was the Louisville Metro Police Department's Civilian Supervisor of the Year in 2020. She has assisted numerous law enforcement agencies across the country with the implementation of law enforcement-based victim services. Nicole is an instructor at the Louisville Metro Police Department's Training Academy, and she serves as a curriculum developer and adjunct instructor for the University of Louisville's Southern Police Institute. Nicole holds a Bachelor of Criminal Justice degree with honors and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice degree with honors from Tiffin University in Tiffin, OH.

Amy Durall is currently a Fellow with the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). The fellowship centers on law enforcement response to victims and law enforcement-based victim services.

Prior to joining OVC, Amy served as a Senior Project Manager with the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Her portfolio included contributions to the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, Enhancing Law Enforcement Response to Victims, Law Enforcement-Based Victim Services, Documenting and Advancing Promising Practices in Law Enforcement Victim Support, and Research and Evaluation of Victims of Crime.

Amy has served as a Victim Services Director for two separate law enforcement agencies with both agencies receiving national recognition for victim services during her tenure. She has also served on local and national committees focused on multidisciplinary and collaborative responses to victims. To augment this direct practice experience, Amy founded Integrity Institute LLC to advance the prioritized focus on the rights, responses, and resources for individuals impacted by crime and crisis circumstances. She has served as a consultant on projects aimed at criminal justice system intersections and enhanced victim response and as a key member of assessment teams for law enforcement agencies exploring response to violent crime and engagement of crime victims with the justice system.

Amy has enjoyed over 35 years of social service experience with a variety of populations including youths and adults with developmental, emotional, and cognitive disorders, adults with mental health disorders, incarcerated adults, protective services for children and adults, and those who have experienced physical violence, sexual violence, criminal victimization, and crisis circumstances. Amy holds a master's degree in psychology and was accepted into the Psi Chi Honor Society. She has received specialized certification in the instruction of Victimology, Grantsmanship Essentials, and Crisis Intervention Training and routinely provides consultation and training to law enforcement personnel, community service organizations, and allied partners of multiple disciplines. You can learn more about Amy and her work at the Integrity Institute.