The Wausau Police Department’s Victim Resource Unit (VRU) strengthens the department’s collaborative, coordinated approach to supporting victims of crime in Wausau, with focused attention on adult sexual assault, child abuse, domestic and family violence, and other underserved victims. Supported through grant funding, the VRU is integrated into an established system designed to provide a seamless continuum of immediate, medium-term, and long-term services. The unit is staffed by a Mental Health Therapist, Crime Response Specialist, and Victim Resource Detective who deliver timely direct services and coordinate community-based resources to address victims’ emotional, psychological, and physical needs; help stabilize their lives following victimization; assist them in understanding and participating in the criminal justice process; and restore a sense of safety and security. Through a wide range of services—including crisis intervention, counseling, advocacy, accompaniment, information and referral assistance, financial and housing support, and criminal justice system guidance—the VRU ensures that victims receive comprehensive, compassionate, and accessible care at every stage of their recovery.

The Victim Resource Unit provides services to all individuals without discrimination based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other class protected by federal or state law. The Unit is committed to ensuring full access to its services for individuals with disabilities, including providing reasonable accommodations as required under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). All individuals seeking assistance are treated with dignity, respect, and fairness in every interaction and throughout the service delivery process.

Victim Information Brochure 

 Victim Resource Unit Information

Sarah Bedish Victim Resource Detective (715) 261-7847	Kristen Seidler Mental Health Therapist (715) 261-7813	Lauryn Erdman Crime Response Specialist (715) 261-7825
K9 Soco Therapy Dog Golden Doodle

Services Provided for Victims

• Notifying victims in writing when criminal complaints are issued by the District Attorney's Office along with their right to attend all court proceedings, to confer with the prosecutor as to potential outcomes of cases, and the right to be notified of the disposition of the case.
• Contacting victims and witnesses called to Court by a subpoena and giving them information on what could happen at the court proceedings.
• Determining the special needs of victims such as restitution, property return, Crime Victim Compensation, and community resources and referrals.
• Answering questions about testifying in court and providing court support if needed.
• Notifying victims of the verdict in their case in the event of a trial and the date for sentencing if there was a guilty verdict.
• Providing victims an opportunity to provide input, verbally or written, at the time of sentencing as to the impact the crime has had on them.
• Notifying victims and witnesses of the final disposition of their case after sentencing and if restitution has been ordered.

More information is available on the Victim / Witness Program website: LINK HERE

The Domestic Abuse Response Team, or DART, is a collaboration of members from the Marathon County District Attorney’s Office, Marathon County Victim-Witness Program, The Women’s Community Inc, the Wausau Police Department, Everest Metro Police Department, Rothschild Police Department, Kronenwetter Police Department, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections - Community Corrections (Probation and Parole) and the Humane Society of Marathon County.

The primary goal of the DART program is to reduce and eliminate acts of domestic violence in our community. The DART program increases interagency cooperation while working toward a shared goal.

Following are the goals of the DART program:

• Initiate Follow Up Visits with Victims to:
  • Conduct follow up for Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions
  • Make a Face-to-Face offer of Assistance
  • Decrease Victim Isolation
  • Inform Victim of Available Services
  • Increase Victim Safety
• Improve Coordination Among Agencies:
  • Provide Cross Training
  • Improve Inter-Agency Communication
  • Provide a Community Response to Domestic Violence

The DART program has established criteria for determining when the team will be activated. The assistant District Attorney responsible for prosecuting domestic violence cases will review each case and notify the other team members if the case meets the established criteria.

Team members for law enforcement and The Women’s Community coordinate a visit to the victim’s home after reviewing relevant case facts. The DART visit is generally done within 72 hours of arrest. This time frame is important because an arrested person is prohibited from contacting their domestic violence victim in the 72 hours following arrest.

While at the residence, law enforcement may conduct follow up interviews of victims and witnesses (to include children). Officers may also develop a history of the relationship which can be important to a criminal prosecution and assessing potential lethality in the relationship. Victim advocates can offer services such as group and individual counseling sessions, answer questions about criminal and civil court proceedings, offer a 911 cell phone, provide contact information for various agencies, and provide countless other resources.

This collaborative response to domestic violence aims to increase victim safety and end the cycle of violence. The DART program tries to make resources more available and easier for victims to access. We believe DART is improving the way in which our community responds to the victims of domestic violence.

If you have any questions about DART, please Email.

General Information

The Wisconsin Statewide Victim Information service (WI-VINE) is a free and anonymous telephone and online service that provides victims of crime with information regarding the custody status of their offenders.  VINE monitors the custody status of offenders in Wisconsin's county jails and makes the information available either by phone or online.  The information is stored at the VINE Communications Center in Louisville, KY.  Information is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The Wisconsin VINE service is available in English, Spanish, and Hmong. 

What will WI VINE do for me?

Although WI VINE was created with victims' safety in mind, it is available to anyone who wants to receive custody information about an offender in a county jail.

• You can call or log-on to WI VINE anytime to check the custody status of an offender.
• You can also register with WI VINE to receive automated notifications about changes to an offender's custody status.  These notifications can be sent to you by phone and/or email, depending on how you complete your registration.

How do I get automated notifications?

Register for WI VINE notification using which ever method is best for you:

• Using a touch-tone phone, call 1-888-944-8463 and follow the instructions to receive automated telephone notification.  You can register for multiple telephone numbers.
• Register online at www.vinelink.com/#/home to receive automated telephone and/or email notification.

If you register for telephone notification, you must select and enter a Personal Identification Number (PIN).

When there is a change to the offender's custody status, WI VINE will send an email, if you registered for email notification, and/or will call your phone if you registered phone notification. 

If you receive a call, listen to the message then enter your PIN when asked.  This confirms that you received the call and stops the service from calling you again.  WI VINE will continue calling you until you enter your PIN or until 24-hours have passed.

If you are not home when WI VINE calls, the system will leave you a message on your answering machine/voicemail but will continue to call until your PIN has been entered or until 24-hours have passed.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), is committed to protecting the public and ensuring that the rights of victims are carefully observed.  HSI administers the Victim Notification Program which allows eligible victims and witnesses to obtain reliable and timely information regarding a criminal alien's release from custody.  However, victims and witnesses are required to register with our agency in order to receive notification of a criminal alien's release.  Listed below is a universal resource locator for the HSI Victim Notification Program.  By simply clicking on the link below, you will be transferred to a number of valuable victim services programs provided by ICE.

•   HSI Victim Notification Program