Family Liaison Specialist Unit

Family Liaison Specialist Unit
3244 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE
Washington, DC
(202) 645-9629
(202) 645-5537

In 2003, the MPDC was awarded a grant from the Victim Assistance Fund to develop and implement a unit that would focus on meeting the needs of survivors of homicide victims. The Office of Organizational Development, in collaboration with the Homicide Division and a Project Advisory Board of local service providers, developed the plans that would make the unit a reality. With the recent hiring of staff with experience and expertise in working with victims, the development of protocols, the establishment of case management tools and a resource management database, the Metropolitan Police Department’s Family Liaison Specialist (FLS) Unit has been implemented.

The mission of the FLS Unit is to ensure that MPDC interactions with survivors of homicide victims are truly responsive to survivors’ critical needs and concerns. The unit offers a range of services to family members including; basic crisis intervention, emotional support, information about the criminal justice system, advocacy and assistance in accessing the Crime Victim Compensation Fund, referrals to other District agencies and resources, and updates concerning the status of homicide investigations. FLS staff will provide immediate, median and long-term support throughout the investigative process. Currently, the unit has two staff members. In the near future, a bilingual specialist and a sworn officer will join the unit.

The FLS Unit is based within the Homicide Division of the Violent Crimes Branch of the Office of the Superintendent of Detectives. By establishing the unit within the Homicide Division and working in collaboration with the Homicide Detectives, the FLS Unit will be supporting the survivors as well as the investigative process. Attention to the needs of victims/survivors helps to establish trust and cooperation – which is often a key to obtaining information that is crucial to solving cases. The FLS Unit offers a range of services including:

• Basic crisis intervention
• Emotional support
• Information about the criminal justice system
• Advocacy and assistance in accessing the Crime Victims Compensation Program
• Referrals to other District agencies and resources
• Updates concerning the status of homicide investigations

Additional information about services the MPDC offers for victims and family members of crime of crime victims is available in the MPDC Victim Assistance Page