Victim services agreement good news, say RCMP

The renewal of the memorandum of understanding between the RCMP and the Alberta government to provide victim service units (VSUs) across the province is good news, say officials.

On May 9, the province and the RCMP announced the new memorandum of understanding, which will ensure VSUs continue to assist victims of crimes and tragedies such as motor vehicle accidents through 2017.

Trained under the Alberta Victims of Crime Act, members of VSUs accompany RCMP to the homes of crime victims, providing followup information on supports and programs available to them. They also support victims during subsequent court proceedings.

The units operate in all RCMP detachment areas of the province.

RCMP Sgt. Jeff Jacobson, the commander at the Didsbury detachment, calls the units invaluable.

“Certainly we work hand in hand with local victim service units,” said Jacobson. “They step in to assist victims when we are departing a scene. They ensure that victims have the assistance they need to get through the struggles they are facing.

“They continue the assistance to victims beyond what we are capable of doing once we've completed our investigations.”

The new MOU sets out the “roles and responsibilities of the participants (unit members, RCMP, etc) in the areas of governance regarding service delivery to victims of crime. It is intended to facilitate communication and strategic planning between the participants in order to better meet the needs of victims of crime and tragedy.”

Minister of Justice Jonathan Denis said: “Alberta's agreement with the RCMP helps ensure victims of crime will continue to receive information, referrals and support when they need it most.”

Marianne Ryan, commanding officer of the Alberta RCMP, said: “The critical support that victim service programs provide is directly tied to the overall effectiveness of the police and justice system's response to victims of crime, and the RCMP is deeply grateful for this support.”