CONVERSE, Texas – When Jo Marie Montague walks into work at the Converse Police Department, she knows the phone calls and walk-ins she handles may be coming from someone at the most dangerous point in their life.
Montague has been working on behalf of violence victims for over 20 years. Currently, Montague is the department’s Crime Victim’s Advocate.
Her job is to stand in the gap between victims and the criminal justice system — helping them stay safe, navigate paperwork and understand what comes next after they call police.
“I’m there to help facilitate their meetings with detectives, with the officers, and then make sure they get the resources that they need,” she said.
Her caseload has grown dramatically. Last year alone, Montague handled 543 cases, nearly a 60% increase from 2022, the year she started in the position.
Part of the reason she thinks the numbers are higher is the work being done in training officers, getting the word out to the community, and following up with victims after their initial contact with police.
Before Montague stepped into this role, much of that work fell on officers already juggling calls for service and investigations.
“It was really putting an unneeded burden on our officers, having to make sure that they get all the information that they need,” she said. “I make sure that the reports are done, but then also making sure the victim is safe.”
She has also noticed a trend: more and more are coming forward to report domestic violence.
Her goal in the next year is to change some policies and procedures to make the process more victim-friendly and trauma-informed. She says the goal is not only to raise the number of cases her office sees but see them through to prosecution.
For more info on connecting to resources in Converse, click here.
Here’s how you can get connected to resources in Converse.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence, there is so much help for you. KSAT has a list of resources on its Domestic Violence webpage, which also explains how to identify different types of abuse.
If it’s an emergency, text or call 911. For wrap-around services including the Battered Women and Children’s Shelter, call Family Violence Prevention Services at (210) 733-8810.
You can also contact the Bexar County Family Justice Center which also provides wrap-around services at (210) 631-0100.