The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department’s Victims Services Unit has received an award. It’s been named the Victims Services Unit of the Year by the Michigan Sheriff’s Association. The Berrien County VCU has been around for seven years now. It works to support crime victims and their families while relieving some stress for certified police officers. When the program started, teams of two volunteers would go along with deputies when a death notification was given and stay with the next of kin until their friends or family could come. The Berrien County unit handled 58 calls in the past year, helping 686 victims.
