Columbia Police employee has helped crime victims for years, now she’ll lead SC group
A veteran employee of the Columbia Police Department has worked for decades to help crime victims.
Her efforts have been recognized, and now Tressa Dixon will provide aid across the entire state as new president of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Victim Advocates Association.
Dixon was sworn in as the group’s president by South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook said in a news release. The ceremony was held at the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy’s Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame.
The S.C. Law Enforcement Victim Advocates Association works “to enhance crime victim services while protecting the fundamental rights and dignity of crime victims,” according to the release.
Dixon’s track record makes her an ideal choice to serve as the association’s leader.
She has worked for the Columbia Police Department since 2002, and is currently the supervisor of its Victim Services Unit, which includes victim advocates, according to the release.
Victim advocates provide emotional and moral support to crime victims from the time of the incident and until a court appearance as a witness, police said.
“They also advise victims of their legal rights while serving as a liaison between victims, police officers and investigators related to criminal events,” according to the release.
This is not the first time Dixon has been recognized for her work with crime victims. In 2017, she was named the Victim Service Provider of the Year, police said.
The Ashford University alum also serves on Governor Henry McMaster’s and Attorney General Wilson’s Advisory Board, the South Carolina Domestic Violence Advisory Committee, and is the training coordinator for the South Carolina Law Enforcement Victim Advocate Association, according to the release.
