The Shelter honors Det. Xiomara Pilarski
Det. Xiomara Pilarski
The Shelter for Abused Women & Children recently honored Collier County Sheriff’s Det. Xiomara Pilarski as Law Enforcement Officer of the Year during the Shelter from the Storm Luncheon, March 26, at the Naples Beach Hotel.
A 14-year veteran of the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, Pilarski serves in the Domestic Violence Section and is a member of Collier County’s Intimate Violence Enhanced Services Team (InVEST). Implemented by Florida Department of Law Enforcement in 2006 to reduce and prevent intimate partner homicides, the program was expanded to Collier County in 2009. The Collier team includes The Shelter, CCSO, Naples Police Department, Marco Police Department, State Attorney’s Office, and the Department of Children & Families.
As an InVEST detective, Pilarski reviews crime reports on a daily basis, identifying incidents of intimate partner violence with high lethality. The reports are shared with Shelter staff, who contact the victims to provide them with information on services available to them. As a detective, Pilarski investigates the abuser’s criminal history, monitors the abuser and works to hold them accountable.
“It’s vital that victims know law enforcement is on their side,” said The Shelter’s InVEST Advocate Berta Garcia. “Det. Pilarski commits herself every day to being a community partner who provides safety and justice for victims and their families. Her kind and compassionate demeanor creates at atmosphere of safety for victims when they are often in their darkest moments.”
Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk praised Pilarski for her energy and dedication, describing her efforts as “unparalleled.”
“The relationship between the Domestic Violence Section and The Shelter enhances outreach to all victims of domestic violence and enriches the public’s confidence that we strive to end domestic violence in our community,” he said.
The success of Collier’s InVEST program is clear. According to FDLE statistics, the number of domestic violence homicides dropped from an all-time high of 10 in 2009, to three in 2013. Cases of domestic violence in Collier County also dropped from 1,784 in 2009 to 1,427 in 2013, the lowest number since 1995. The crime rate for domestic violence is also at an all-time low, nearly half that of 1995.
Shelter Executive Director Linda Oberhaus credits the drop to increased community outreach and education as well as collaboration with other agencies to identify and address domestic violence.
“These statistics are encouraging and only made possible through strong partnerships with dedicated law enforcement representatives such as Det. Pilarski,” Oberhaus said.
