Victim Specialist

Overview

Located in the nation’s capital, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) serves over 700,000 residents, 21,000 private businesses, and receives more than 22 million visitors annually. As a premier and diverse law enforcement organization of over 4,200 members, MPD commits to protecting the community and visitors alike.

The Victim Specialist position falls under the Investigative Services Bureau, Criminal Investigations Division, working closely with detectives and the Victim Services Branch leadership to provide continuous assistance, guidance, and referrals to victims and survivors of serious crimes such as homicide, sexual assault, domestic violence, felonious assaults, and child deaths.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate the needs of families and survivors, collaborating with detectives to address any concerns arising during investigations.
• Maintain timely, regular communication with victims and their families or significant others.
• Offer direct support to families at crime scenes when requested by supervising detectives.
• Support Major Case Investigators in events involving multiple deaths or mass fatalities.
• Be flexible to work various shifts including weekends and be on-call as required.
• Develop comprehensive action plans with detectives for ongoing family engagement and service referrals.
• Conduct family visits to provide in-depth support and facilitate timely updates on case progress in coordination with the detective.
• Assist in death notifications alongside detectives when appropriate.
• Document all interactions with victims and families, ensuring confidentiality and sensitivity.
• Cultivate and maintain supportive relationships with victims' families, providing clear information about investigative processes within confidentiality limits.
• Deliver crisis intervention support as needed.
• Refer families to public or private agencies to address their specific needs and help them access community resources.
• Establish and maintain collaboration with direct service providers to coordinate assistance efforts.
• Perform additional duties as assigned by supervisors.

Qualifications and Experience

• Minimum of one year specialized experience equivalent to CS-11 grade level or comparable public/private sector experience demonstrating relevant knowledge and skills.
• At least two years of hands-on experience in trauma and crisis intervention.
• High school diploma or equivalent required; Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline preferred.
• No licensures or certifications required.

Work Environment and Conditions

This sedentary office-based role may require occasional walking, standing, travel, attendance at external meetings or conferences, and handling lightweight materials such as laptops and documents. Vehicle operation may be necessary.

Additional Information and Terms

• This union-represented role is part of the National Association of Government Employees (NAGE); payroll deductions for agency fees may apply.
• Security-sensitive position subject to pre-employment and periodic comprehensive background investigations, including criminal and credit checks, as well as drug and alcohol testing (random, post-incident, return to duty, and reasonable suspicion).
• Residency requirement: Applicants claiming residency preference must reside in the District of Columbia for at least seven years; certain high-salary positions require residency establishment within 180 days of employment and maintenance throughout appointment.
• The District of Columbia Government is an equal opportunity employer that prohibits discrimination or retaliation based on various protected characteristics and personal factors.