Philadelphia launches first office for crime victims

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Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel has appointed Ayanna Greene-Davis as the Executive Director of the Office of Victim Advocacy and Engagement — a first in the Philadelphia Police Department.

“One of the things I recognized was this gap between our detectives and those families who have lost a loved one through violence,” Bethel said. “Those families will know what’s going on with the case and we will provide support for them. We’re excited about the direction we’re going and how we can connect with the community.”

In her first interview since taking office, Greene-Davis, who previously served as the Tactical Director and Rapid Response Coordinator for Philadelphia’s Office of Public Safety, spoke with WHYY News from her North Broad Street office to discuss her vision for this new role. Her motivation is born of personal tragedy: Her brother was murdered in 1997, a time when little to no assistance was available to help victims’ families cope.

“I felt scared. I felt alone. Not heard or seen,” Greene-Davis said. “And victims want to be heard. Period. They have to be heard.”

She admits that victim advocacy was never part of her plan.

“I didn’t want to be a victim advocate. That wasn’t my dream. I wanted to be a writer. I wanted to be an author,” Greene-Davis said. “But after the tragic death of my brother, I had no choice. Trauma changes you, period.”

With more than 15 years of experience in clinical and forensic work, and training in mental health counseling and criminal justice, Greene-Davis brings an extensive background to her new role. She previously led the Roadmap to Safer Communities initiative, collaborating with the police department and other agencies to establish reporting and accountability systems. As head of the Rapid Response Team, she also coordinated multi-agency crisis efforts to reduce community trauma and strengthen resilience in areas affected by gun violence.

According to Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel, Greene-Davis’ knowledge and compassion will be crucial in bridging the gap between law enforcement and crime victims.

“You have to love it. You have to have a passion for it and you have to have a mission. This is not just a job because you could actually change somebody’s life,” Greene-Davis said.

She will oversee a 20-member team, split evenly between Victim Advocacy and 1 Engagement. Non-sworn personnel will provide emotional support and services citywide to victims of homicide, shootings and crash investigations within 24 to 48 hours of an incident.

“Our goal is to have a victim-centered approach from the 911 call,” Greene-Davis said. “The 911 caller is trained. So, it can trickle down to the operations room, it can trickle down to patrol, detectives, inspectors — the whole line.”

She emphasizes educating victims about their rights and access to information, noting the crucial role police training plays in improving survivors’ outcomes.

Building the department from the ground up, Greene-Davis is implementing policies that take a holistic approach to preventing gun violence. She hopes to expand her office to include specialized units for sex crimes, elder abuse, domestic violence and cybercrimes.

“Every crime there’s a victim and there should be an advocate for every crime,” Greene-Davis said.

Notably, Greene-Davis said support should also extend to the suspects’ families, who often face their own difficulties.

“They’re victims of different circumstances.”

She contends that success cannot be measured in numbers alone. Greene-Davis credits Commissioner Bethel’s innovative leadership in believing every victim matters.

Mothers In Charge, which provides grief support, prevention, intervention and education on violence in the community, spearheaded this endeavor for a Victim Advocacy unit at PPD. Founder and National Executive Director Dr. Dorothy Johnson-Speight told WHYY News it was long overdue.

“It’s better now because of Police Commissioner Bethel. He has made a conscious decision to address this issue.” Johnson-Speight said.

“There’s no words to describe a mother having to bury a son or daughter or a loved one, and then not being able to get any information on the situation or the case or the investigation or if anybody’s doing anything to apprehend that person.”

Johnson Speight lost her son, Khaaliq Jabar Johnson, to gun violence in December 2001. The 24-year-old was shot seven times over a parking dispute. Her son’s killer was found guilty and is serving two life sentences.

“Anytime that you can get a murderer off the street. It may be saving another mother from having to go through what we’ve gone through. So I say it’s very effective.” Johnson-Speight said. “it’s our mission of saving lives, that’s what we do and this is a part of it.”

Advocating for crime victims can be rewarding, but also can cause job stress and trauma exposure from working with affected individuals. According to the Michigan Victim Advocacy Network, Resources for Advocate Resilience – MiVAN, more than half of victim advocates suffer from severe traumatic stress and compassion fatigue, and one in six meets clinical criteria for PTSD due to vicarious trauma.

Greene-Davis acknowledges the burdens ahead and says she is prepared to do the job. “I wake up with a purpose and a plan.”