The South Peace Community Resources Society says they’re seeking increased funding for their Police Based Victim Service Program, sending a letter to the City of Dawson Creek.
The request asks for an increase from $37,800, which has been provided annually by the city, to $49,140, for the 2024/2025 year.
Mayor and council addressed the Dec. 15, 2023 letter during their Jan. 15 meeting, voting to defer the request, after discussing the possibility that there may be funds available through the province, through seized proceeds of crime.
Council also voted to direct city staff to work with the society to research what funding is available.
“With the increase to crime in our community over the past few years, the demand for victim services continues to increase as well,” states the letter, written by Executive Director Angela Willmott.
They currently fund their primary staff to work 40 hours a week, with a secondary staff member working four hours in the office, providing 24/7 on-call crisis response between the two.
“We will no longer be able to manage these hours with the current increase to wages and benefits as well as the additional hours needed for call outs,” they added, noting they may have to reduce hours in 2024 without increased funding.
The letter outlined the various services provided through the program:
• Critical incident response including call-outs to scene with RCMP, such as suicides, motor vehicle fatalities and sudden death notifications.
• Initial incident debriefing and stabilization.
• Hospital call-outs.
• Identify and address immediate emotional, safety, and logistical victim needs
• Information and emotional support to victims.
• Court preparation and accompaniment of witnesses.
• Assistance with the completion of forms such as Victim impact statements.
• Safety planning.
You can read the letter in full below:
Letter From South Peace Community Resources Society by Tom Summer on Scribd
