JOLIET – The Crest Hill Police Association continued its generous and longstanding support for the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center by presenting Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow with a $1,500 check to benefit the not-for-profit agency he founded 22 years ago.
The Crest Hill Police Association once again this year selected the Children’s Advocacy Center as one of the beneficiaries of proceeds from its Eighth Annual Golf Outing, which was held in September at the Inwood Golf Course in Joliet.
Crest Hill Police Association President Henry Tough presented the check to State’s Attorney Glasgow, who established the Children’s Advocacy Center in 1995 to improve the way allegations of child sexual abuse are investigated.
When children make an outcry of sexual abuse, they are brought to the center, where trained and compassionate forensic interviewers obtain accurate statements in a neutral, non-suggestive and child-friendly environment. Interviews recorded at the center have been used to successfully prosecute thousands of child predators. In addition, the center’s experienced staff provides children and families with advocacy, counseling and social services that enable the healing process to begin.
The Crest Hill Police Department has referred many child sexual abuse cases to the Children’s Advocacy Center over the years:
- In the past 12 years, the Center has provided counseling and social services to 124 victims/clients who were involved in cases investigated by Crest Hill Police. During that period, the Center also provided similar services to a minimum of 124 non-offending family members stemming from Crest Hill cases.
- In 2017 to date, the Center has handled 16 cases referred by Crest Hill Police. The staff has conducted forensic interviews for eight victims this year. And 14 non-offending family members of victim/clients also received services so far.
“It means a great deal when police officers acknowledge the role the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center plays in their criminal investigations and they step forward to support this agency’s important work,” said State’s Attorney Glasgow, who also chairs the Center’s Board of Directors. “Thank you once again to the Crest Hill Police Association for its ongoing partnership with us as we bring hope, healing, and justice to sexually abused children.”
For information about the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center, call (815) 774-4565 or visit on the Web at www.willcountycac.org.