By Staff Reports
Stephanie Vipperman officially announced her intention to seek re-election to the post of Commonwealth’s Attorney.
“As I’ve settled into my job over the past 11 years, I’ve challenged myself to think of innovative ways to improve my office and service to this community without substantially increasing my financial burden on the county. The easiest way to do this was to seek more grants,” Vipperman said in a release.
“In 2016, I wrote and was awarded a Byrne Justice Grant to partially fund an additional attorney position who would specialize in reluctant victim cases (i.e. domestic violence, child abuse, and sexual assault cases). I was able to hire Dayna Kendrick Bobbitt, a Patrick County native, who has filled that position from its initiation. Since her hiring and being able to have a specialized attorney for those cases, our successful prosecution rate in those cases has increased.”
Vipperman said the county’s Victim Witness Program also expanded its services “with increased grant funding from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. Initially, we had one employee who worked 24 hours per week. We now have two part-time employees who work a combined 53 hours per week.”
She added the Victim Witness Program ensures crime victims and witnesses receive fair and compassionate treatment while participating in the criminal justice system by providing emotional and practical support as well as advocacy, referrals to local agencies, case status updates, and safety and security suggestions.
“Having the additional hours has allowed them to contact more victims to alert them of upcoming court dates and answer any questions they may have. It has also allowed them to spend more time with victims in court. They have also been able to extend their outreach efforts by educating more community members about the program’s existence and role in the criminal justice system,” she said.
In addition to using grant funds, Vipperman said she has continued to assist the Sheriff’s Office in completing asset forfeiture seizures from drug dealers and thieves.
“Since 2009, we have seized over $243,400 in cash, personal property, and real property. Although this money is divided out among several agencies and can only be used for very specific purposes, it has helped cover some training expenses for my office,” she said. “Last year, our office received a training award from the Virginia Association of Commonwealth’s Attorneys, which was funded by a percentage of these asset forfeitures. The award allowed me to send attorneys to two national trainings, which would not have been possible otherwise.”
Vipperman said her service to the community “has continued with my passion for children and being a voice for them. I started the county’s first sexual assault and child abuse response team (SART/CART) in 2008. Since then I’ve worked with the Southern Virginia Child Advocacy Center in Rocky Mount for scheduling of forensic interviews and medical exams of our victims.
“In 2017, I began working with them to open a satellite site in Stuart. Using both their grant funds and funds I help raise by organizing the Covered Bridge 5K each year, we were able to open our satellite site in the basement of the former Sheriff’s Office in October 2018. The center eliminates the need for duplicative interviews of children who have made allegations of abuse or neglect and offers clinical services to children exposed to trauma” and no doubt the center helps to promote “the well-being of children by providing a child-friendly place where they can feel safe telling what has happened to them and where their healing can begin,” Vipperman said.
Bobbitt also secured grant funds from the Virginia State Bar Young Lawyers Conference to create a Kids in Court program last year, Vipperman said of the program that is designed to prepare children for the court experience by giving them a ‘hands on tour’ of what to expect in court.
“We had 22 children at the inaugural event last June, which was a daylong free event with lunch included. We hope to have even more this year, which has already been approved for funding again,” she said.
“My SART/CART team members worked a table with the Masonic Lodge at Superhero Day in Dehart Park where we helped parents create a kit of identifying materials in the event that their child ever goes missing, including a fingerprint card, DNA sample, physical description, and DVD with the child’s photo. We have also set up a table with glow sticks at the past two Halloween Spooktacular events and an informational booth at the Strawberry Festival, Apple Dumpling Festival, and Patrick County Showcase to provide education and materials about the Child Advocacy Center and our local partnering organizations,” Vipperman said.
She also has continued a summer internship program.
“Although New College Institute eliminated its match funding in 2018, prior to that I was able to utilize their internship program to help pay summer interns at my office. I have hired local college and law students to intern at our office during the summer months. These students gained valuable experience that helped lead them to successful careers, many of which are local within Patrick County or a surrounding county,” she said.
Vipperman and her husband Jason Vipperman live in Patrick Springs with their children; daughter Kendra age 6; and son, Kipton, age 4. The family attends Horsepasture Christian Church and Chatham Heights Baptist Church.
