Picking up the pieces: the work of a Victim/Witness Services volunteer

“There’s people who have no one in certain situations, they have no place to turn, they are left alone, it’s been a traumatic situation, and you’re their lifeline,” she continues. “You can just see it on their face, they’re so relieved, and they will say to you, ‘I don’t know how I would’ve gotten through this if you had not been here.’ We don’t ask for anything, but that is such a reward when they are just so grateful that someone was there in their time of need.”

Wilma has been part of the program for two-years now, working two-to-three 12 hour shifts a month, helping to provide round-the-clock service that is available 365 days a year.

In addition to providing support in the immediate aftermath of a traumatic event and connecting them with other services, they also offer ongoing support. That can range from a follow-up phone call within a couple of days to see how they’re doing, to helping them follow and understand the court process, with some cases taking years to resolve.

When asked for a moment that stands out though, it wasn’t helping the victim in a high-profile criminal case that comes to mind. Instead, Wilma says it was a woman who had to come to the police station to collect the belongings of a loved one who had died suddenly.

“[She] came alone, was very distraught,” she explains. “We were able to talk to her and just let her know that she was not alone in a situation like this. And I walked her out to her vehicle after, and she just said that she didn’t know what she would have done if there hadn’t been this support around her at this time, and she was just so grateful.”

A hint of that first smile returns, as she recalls the moment that clearly left a lasting impression on her.

In addition to being there for someone in their time of need, volunteers also play another important role in assisting LPS, according to Cst. Chris Stock, a veteran of nearly 17-years as a police officer.

“When we show up at a crime [scene], notably any violent offence, we have to start thinking as far as the investigation and the direction of our investigation. So, it’s tough for us at times to focus on the victim,” explained Stock.

“It allows us to do our job, as far, like I said, the investigational side of our call,” he continued. “The humanistic side, we’ll let the victim services do that. And, to be honest, they’re way better trained than we are. They’ve got all kinds of courses and training for that.”

In addition to freeing up officers to focus on their investigation, Stock says he has also been able to learn a lot from the volunteers. He specifically noted how it’s helped him when it comes to dealing with children at crime scenes, before victim/witness services arrives.

“I’ve had some pretty, kind of, rough calls when there’s been kids involved,” said Stock. “And, doing things to try and distract the kids, and try to, I guess, separate them from what they just observed. Whether it’s mommy and daddy fighting or something bad just happened. Get them away, get them in a vehicle, get a stuffed animal to them. Sometimes we have stuffed animals in our trunks.”

Of course, inserting yourself into traumatic situations on a semi-regular basis can wear anyone down. For that reason, program manager Darcie James, makes a point of making herself available 24/7, to debrief and talk to the volunteers about what they experienced. Senior volunteers are also available if she can’t be reached.

“We have a fantastic support group here, and we do debriefing, but it does definitely take a toll, on some more than others… but definitely, we have a very, very good support group here, and good follow up after special, traumatic cases,” said Wilma.

Having heard the highs and lows, I ask Wilma if the job has changed her. After a long pause she responds simply, “It has,” before fully going into her answer.

“Like I said, I did have a background of working for many years in the health services, so I thought I was well-prepared for this. But this is a different facet of dealing with human emotions… has it changed me? Yes, it has made me more empathetic, less judgemental, and just more aware of the services that are available for people in need.”

If you’ve read everything to this point and find yourself interested, the program is looking to add to it’s number of volunteers with an information session coming up. You do need to apply by Oct. 31 to attend, and can do so by contacting James at 403-330-5023 or darcie.james@lethbridgepolice.ca.

So, in addition to the obvious things like a criminal record and reference checks as well as an interview process, what does it take to volunteer?

While speaking with James, she says it’s the people who aren’t sure if they can handle it that often make the best ones.

“Those are the ones that are usually very good at this,” she explains. “I’m very surprised. You’d think [it would be] the ones that are very well educated through university, college, whatever. No, it’s those that have seen how victims have been treated, and they want to just make a difference. They have that emotional component, and we work with that.”

When asked the same question, Wilma keeps her answer simple.

“If you have a heart for people, you want to help people, if you want to make a difference, try it out.”

by Patrick Burles - @PatrickBurles on Twitter

Picking up the pieces: the work of a Victim/Witness Services volunteer

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