Veteran Justice Corps Program to begin in Stevens and Pope counties

• Veteran Justice Corps

Representatives from Pope and Stevens counties accepted a grant sponsored by the national Veteran Justice Corps and the Minnesota Council on Crime and Justice, which will enable the two counties to hire a veteran advocate. Pictured are (left to right) Pope County Commissioner Gordon Wagner, Stevens County Commissioner Paul Watzke and Pope/Stevens County Veterans Service Officer Hugh Reimers. (Contributed photo)

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Stevens County Commissioner Paul Watzke and Pope County Commissioner Gordon Wagner have announced the receipt of a grant to establish a veteran advocate program to work with military veterans in court proceedings.

The grant is sponsored by the national Veteran Justice Corps and the Minnesota Council on Crime and Justice. The Stevens and Pope County Boards of Commissioners have formed a joint partnership to sponsor the program.

The program is designed to help veterans who are involved with or at risk of becoming involved with the criminal justice system. It will help them access alternative sentencing and restorative justice opportunities so they can get counseling and other help to readjust to civilian life.

A veteran advocate will be hired by late October. The advocate will be supervised by Terry Jaworski, Pope County probation officer, and the advocate will work closely with Hugh Reimers, the Veterans Service Officer for Stevens and Pope Counties.

The grant was written by Cheryl Torgerson, the official court reporter for District Judge Jon Stafsholt, along with Commissioners Watzke and Wagner, Pope County Coordinator Jim Thoreen, Terry Jaworski and Hugh Reimers.

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