It happened.
It's too late to prevent the crime.
They may have taken all your cash, burglarized your home, and/or committed other serious crimes.  What do you do, and where do you go?

If you call (310) 802-5185, a Victim Assistance Team (VAT) volunteer will respond to your message within a short time.  VAT volunteers are people like you and many have stories that may sound very much like your own.

In cooperation with the Manhattan Beach Police Department, VAT offers many services, including:

• Referral to professional psychological/social services agencies
• Accompaniment to court (if needed)
• Providing crime prevention information

To learn more, please download the Victim Assistance Team Brochure (PDF).

Awareness and Prevention

When a victim reports a crime to the Manhattan Beach Police Department, the victim's first contact with VAT is often by mail.  The packet includes tips to increase community awareness of opportunities we sometimes unwittingly offer criminals.

VAT volunteers may follow up their awareness program with actions to prevent crime by:

• Arranging home security checks
• Advising Neighborhood Watch volunteers
• Providing information about professional agencies experienced in handling victims' specific problems

Remember: Call the Victim Assistance Team at (310) 802-5185. 

Victim Resources

The National Victim Notification Network provides an online service called VINELink, the online version of VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday).  This service allows crime victims to obtain timely and reliable information about criminal cases and the custody status of offenders 24 hours a day. Victims and other concerned citizens can also register to be notified by phone, email, text message (SMS) or TTY device when an offender's custody status changes. Users can also register through the Los Angeles County toll-free number, (877) 846-3452.

Call for volunteers

The Victim Assistance Team is composed solely of volunteers.  VAT welcomes persons who live in Manhattan Beach to join in combating crime in the City.  Confidentiality is of primary importance.  Administrative tasks are required, but the most important qualifications are empathy for Manhattan Beach crime victims and a sincere desire to assist them.

If you are interested in becoming a Victim Assistance Team volunteer, please call VAT at (310) 802-5185 for more information.

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