Citizens receive ready access to resources without having to leave Cary
March 12, 2009
CARY, NC – In support of the Cary Town Council’s goal to help mitigate domestic violence, the Town of Cary Police Department has partnered with Interact, a non-profit corporation, to provide confidential, domestic violence assistance to victims of sexual assault at the Police Department every Monday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Also, the Town has entered into an agreement with the Wake County Magistrate’s office to staff a Magistrate at the Police Department on Wednesdays from noon until 6 p.m. to affirm or deny the presence of probable cause on arrest warrants, criminal summons, and search warrants. Citizens can access either service by visiting the staff duty officer or the Records desk on the 2nd floor of the Cary Police Department, 120 Wilkinson Ave.
“We are pleased to partner with Interact and the Wake County Magistrate’s office to connect victims with these vital resources and build upon the exemplary level of services that we currently offer to our citizens,” said Major David Wulff. “Whether a person becomes a victim of domestic violence or any other crime, we are committed to providing convenient resources to help restore a person’s quality of life as soon as possible.”
Wulff added that the partnership is expected to help save time and money for citizens and employees. Victims of domestic violence can gather instant information about the resources available to them, as well as information on the N.C. Court system. Also, Cary Police and citizens no longer have to drive to the main Magistrate’s office in downtown Raleigh to access select Magistrate services.
The Interact partnership comes on the heels of the Cary Town Council’s proclamation at the October 16, 2008 council meeting, which recognized October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Cary. In 2008, three women were killed in Cary as a result of domestic violence. Also during the past four years, the Town has received an average of 1100-1200 domestic violence calls each year.
Interact is a private, nonprofit United Way agency that provides safety, support, and awareness to victims and survivors of domestic violence and rape/sexual assault. Interact provides two 24-hour crisis lines, group and individual counseling, bilingual counseling, specialized children’s counseling, case management, court and hospital advocacy, professional training, and a full curriculum of violence prevention in the Wake County schools. Interact also operates Wake County ’s only confidential residential program for women and children fleeing domestic violence.
For more information about Interact, call Laura Hilton at (919) 865 -1786 or laurah@interactofwake.org or Damita Chambers at (919) 828-1616 or damitac@interactofwake.org. Visit Interact at www.interactofwake.org.
The Wake County Magistrate’s Office, located at 316 Fayetteville St. Mall in Raleigh , currently employs 24 full-time and two part-time magistrates. Their office provides an array of services, including: issue arrest and search warrants; set bail; accept guilty pleas to minor misdemeanors and pleas of responsibility to infractions; accept waivers of trial and guilty pleas to certain traffic littering; wildlife, boating, marine fisheries, state park recreation and alcoholic beverage violations; and accept waivers of trial and guilty pleas in worthless check cases in which the check is for $2000 or less. For more about services through the Wake County Magistrate’s Office, call (919) 792-7900 or visit them at www.nccourts.org/County/Wake/Staff/Magistrates.asp.
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PRIMARY CONTACTS: |
David Wulff, Police Major - Division Commander, (919) 460-4919
April Raphiou, Deputy Public Information Officer, (919) 481-5091
Susan Moran, Public Information Officer, (919) 460-4951 |
