New interview room provides comfortable, welcoming environment for child victims in Waukesha

WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) – A new interview room at the Waukesha Police Department is dedicated to helping child victims.

It came together thanks to several donors in the community and is one of very few in the area.

The community room or soft interview room will be used to talk with child victims of sexual assault, abuse or neglect. The remodel was finished this month and now, the room doesn’t look anything like the rest of the department. It has new flooring, a couch, chairs, a TV and a cabinet filled with toys.

“When they’re in here we can reduce all of those stress, fears, worries and anxieties,” Waukesha Police Capt. Dan Baumann said. “Kids will be more likely to open up, they’ll be more comfortable and this room allows us to get the interview done right the first time.”

Several different companies donated to the room including Kohl’s, Steinhafels and Meijer. Baumann said he hopes it will help victims feel a little bit better on what is probably one of their hardest days.

“Unfortunately we do have a population of childhood victims of sexual assault,” he said. “As bad as that is to investigate, we want to make that day, probably their worst moment of their life, as relaxing and as comfortable as we can make it.”

Baumann said other area police departments will come to Waukesha to use the interview room for their investigations.