With nearly every crime committed, there is at least one direct victim. I say a direct victim because crime creates a number of victims in varying degrees of separation.
The public, as a whole, can also be the victim and this forms part of the term, public interest.
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Someone who is assaulted by their intimate partner most likely has family and friends that are impacted by the assault, making them also victims to the crime.
Often those close to a victim can bear the same feelings which might range from sorrow to rage. However, there are also victims that feel indifferent to the crime and them being a victim. They may not really see themselves as a victim but rather the enabler of the crime.
Recent examples of this are with some of the bicycle thefts in the city. We had numerous people reporting their bike being stolen but deciding not to provide much detail on it, never mind a photo or statement. While this does provide us information on the fact a crime was committed, it is highly unlikely we will be able to return the bike if located and even less of a chance of being able to lay a charge on someone.
Victim cooperation is key to law enforcement, and being able to successfully investigate a crime and a crown prosecutor being able to carry it into court. The victim is key to the accountability of the criminal.
Unfortunately, some victims become so traumatized or are fearful by the incident they cannot emotionally carry through with what the judicial system requires of them.
Many officers feel this heavy weight when we encounter a victim this affected by a crime, and in my experience, this is one of the worst feelings officers live with. Compassion is one of the core values of the RCMP.
The people that have most impressed me through my career have been victims and seeing how brave they can be in facing their worst fears but determined to bring those responsible to accountability.
In every detachment I have worked, over three provinces, we have had a Victim Services Unit (VSU) and Lloydminster is no different as we also have them working in the detachment.
These VSU folks are some of the most compassionate and caring individuals I have ever worked with. They will attend incidents to work with victims and victim’s family and friends to help them through various processes. A large part of this is helping the people deal with grief, anger, sadness and every other emotion that comes from a tragic incident. They also help victims through the judicial process with explanations, resources and one-on-one support.
Every VSU I have ever worked with gives so much more than their paid time as they often live the experience through the victims.
Although you may not have ever heard of Victim Services, know that they are an integral part of detachments and provide a service I cannot begin to describe the value they provide to victims, officers and our communities.
– Staff Sgt. Jerry Nutbown, is the NCO in charge of the Lloydminster RCMP detachment’s General Investigation Section. Stay tuned for future articles from the Lloydminster RCMP.
This column was originally published in the Nov. 28, 2024, edition of the Meridian Source.
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