Police, usually the first professionals on the crime scene, can provide practical assistance to victims, including helping them complete insurance forms and begin steps to repair property damage. They can advise victims how to prevent future victimization and also protect them from reprisal by the offender if they cooperate with the police and prosecutor. Police should remain in contact with crime victims to inform them about the progress of their cases and help them contact appropriate service agencies and compensation programs. Police should be trained to help crime victims cope with the emotional trauma victims experience in the hours and days immediately after the crime. One of the most impressive models of police services for crime victims is that of the Edmonton Police Department (Canada). Its program involves each patrol officer and uses a central victim assistance unit to serve victims identified on the police computerized information system. The police contacts vary from correspondence and telephone calls to "outreach" visits by volunteers. One indicator of the program's effectiveness is that it doubled the number of claims to the Alberta Victims Compensation Board in the first year of operation. 24 references