Bay County Sheriff’s Office Launches End-To-End Victim Notification System

BAY COUNTY, FL – Bay County Sheriff, Tommy Ford, announced a victim notification system that will update victims from their initial 911 call to the culmination of the criminal justice process. This system begins on Monday, September 8, 2025.

Provided by VINE® (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) and Versaterm CommunityConnect™, the system reaches out to victims after they make a 911 call to confirm receiving the call, uploading of the report associated with their call, identification of the investigator assigned to the case, all the way to the arrest of the suspect. Once there has been an arrest, victims will receive a message that they can register to choose to continue to receive additional notifications on judicial proceedings, incarceration, protective orders and parole or release.

Once a 9-1-1 call is made, the victim’s phone number is automatically entered into the computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system and starts the messaging. The messages will be used in addition to the regular communications victims receive from investigators on their case, adding to the feeling of support victims need during this time.

“This service will provide notifications to victims in near real-time,” Sheriff Tommy Ford said. “When coupled with regular agency communications, our goal is to provide peace of mind for victims.”