Attorney General Brenna Bird Announces Important Update for Victims of Violent Crimes

DES MOINES-Attorney General Brenna Bird announced her office has updated and re-implemented the Protective Order Notification System which was shut down in 2019 under the previous administration due to technical issues that were never resolved. Through this system, crime victims and survivors can be informed of the status of protective orders against offenders. This program is designed specifically for civil protective orders involving sexual abuse and domestic violence. This modification came about after Attorney General Bird conducted a complete audit of the Victim Assistance section after she took office.

The Protective Order notification system is now live through Iowa Victim Information & Notification Everyday (IowaVINE). IowaVINE is a free and anonymous notification service that provides victims of crime two important features: information and notification. Iowa VINE provides free and confidential access to custody status and protective order information for crime victims and the general public.

Across the state, crime victims and other concerned parties already use IowaVINE for access to timely and reliable information about the custody status of an offender. Victims can receive automated notification by telephone, Internet, or email 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Victims can always contact a live operator who is trained in victim services by telephone.

That same system can now be used to receive information and notifications on civil protective orders for sexual abuse and domestic violence. Just go to the Iowa VINE website (https://vinelink.vineapps.com/search/IA/Person) to search by defendant name or protective order case number.

"Knowledge is power," said Attorney General Bird. "Through the IowaVINE Protective Order Notification system, victims can be armed with information on the status of a protective order against their abuser. Serving victims is one of the main reasons why I ran for Attorney General. And it is why on day one, I set out to make real changes to ensure victims receive the justice and support they deserve. I am so glad to announce this notification system is fixed and up and running well."

Signing up to monitor offenders is not the same as signing up for alerts from the Iowa Department of Corrections or the Iowa Board of Parole. If you sign up to monitor offenders, you will not get updates about parole hearings or parole decisions. If you want those updates, please call the Iowa Department of Corrections Office of Victim Programs at 800-778-1182.

Please remember: Do not rely only on VINE to keep you safe. If you feel you are in danger right now, call your local police right away.

For any questions about the IowaVINE Protective Order notification system, please contact Natalie Lampley at (515) 281-5044 or [email protected].

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Contact: Jen Green | [email protected]