Congratulating Barb Hedstrom As the Recipient of the Congressional Crime Survivors and Justice Caucus Ed Stout Memorial Award for Outstanding Victim Advocacy

Floor Speech

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Ms. CRAIG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my constituent, Barb Hedstrom, as the recipient of the Congressional Crime Survivors and Justice Caucus' 2024 Ed Stout Memorial Award for Outstanding Victim Advocacy. Barb Hedstrom serves as Shakopee Police Department's Victim and Community Services Coordinator.

This award's honoree is a professional, volunteer or organization whose efforts directly benefit victims and survivors of crime. The award recognizes innovations in victim assistance and crime victim services in the areas of program development, public or agency policy development, community and public awareness, and collaboration among community and justice-based organizations that serve crime victims.

Barb is exactly that. The Shakopee Police Department was the first police department in Minnesota to have a Victim Services Coordinator. In 2015, Barb worked with her colleagues to launch the Recovery Assistance Program (RAP), which helps those in recovery by providing scholarships to help break down barriers to treatment. Barb recently started the Law Enforcement Association of Victim Essential Services (LEAVES), which is a statewide professional association of law enforcement-based victim service providers. Due largely to Barb's work, the Shakopee Police Department has been a leader in the State of Minnesota and across the country for victims' services for nearly a decade and has made victim services a top priority.

It is an honor to represent Barb Hedstrom and the Shakopee Police Department in Congress. I look forward to our continued partnership in serving the Second District of Minnesota.

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