By Joanna Putman
Police1
FORT WORTH, Texas — A mother, motivated by the loss of her daughter has set out to make police station interview rooms a more comfortable place for crime victims, NPR reported.
Tracy Matheson has dedicated her efforts to supporting sexual assault victims through her nonprofit organization, Project Beloved: The Molly Jane Mission, according to the report. Molly Jane was raped and murdered in her apartment, and her killer, Reginald Kimbro, was sentenced to multiple life sentences in 2022 for her murder and additional crimes.
Project Beloved focuses on renovating police interview rooms to create comfortable, stress-free environments for sexual assault victims. These “soft interview rooms” are designed to help trauma survivors feel safe while recounting their experiences to investigators, according to the report. The organization has partnered with over 100 law enforcement agencies across the nation to implement these rooms.
“The evidence suggests that a more comfortable setting can significantly aid victims in providing crucial information,” Matheson told NPR. The renovations, costing around $2,500 to $3,000 per room, are funded by donations to Project Beloved.
Missouri’s Kansas City Police Department recently became the first in the state to implement a soft interview room, inspired by Matheson’s story, according to the report.
“He or she can choose whatever chair they want. Whatever one’s gonna make them comfortable,” KCPD Sgt. Tiffany Davis told NPR.
“Being trauma-informed, especially when it comes to survivors of sexual assault is so important,” said Davis. “We have to, as a law enforcement entity, realize that it’s a different kind of victim.”