RCMP program helps the victims of crime

SOMEWHERE IN North
Vancouver a crime has just
occurred.

By Surj Rattan
News Reporter

It could be any type of crime.
A break and enter. A sexual
assault. A shooting.

The victim will no doubt be af-
fected by the crime emotionally.
Some more than others.

The North Vancouver RCMP’s
job is to respond to the incident
and try to arrest the person or
persons responsible for commit-
ting the ctime. While that is
common knowledge, many people
may not be aware that the’ RCMP
do much more than just attempt
“to solve the crime.

. Through the North Vancouver
RCMP’ s Victims’ Assistance Pro-
gram, they aiso try to offer help
to crime victims. ;

“The program” was started in

. June 1985 and was initially
operated by a designated RCMP
member. Today it is run by a ci-
vilian with a team of 24 volunteers
who help case the pain of victims
of crime in North Vancouver. -

“ Linda Waisoff is the program's
coordinator. She has held the post
for the past two years, ever since

-, .the fecal police department decid- -
‘ed to allow a civilian to run the

program. .
Before that she had been a vol-
‘unteer with the program for 6%
“years. She said the program
. Feceives approximately 250 calls a
month from people.
: . “We ‘usually refer people on to

other professionals. We do not do
any counselling ourselves. This
enables us to deal with the high
number of people that come
through,’’ said Walsoff.

She added that the program
deals with a variety of people who
have been affected by crimes.

“For the more serious crimes
like sexual assault, they would
want to know what they would be
going through before they actually
talk to a police officer.

“Some people dc not want to
go through making a_ police
report, but they are interested in
getting some help and they want a
referral to an appropriate agen-
cy,”” said Walsoff.

Every RCMP detachment in
Canada has a Victims’ Assistance
Program.

The North Vancouver program
is funded jointly by North Van-
couver City and District.

Walsoff said that all of the vol-
unteers have security clearance
from the RCMP and must go
through .an intensive training ses-
sion.

“They’re trained on crime vic-

_tims; anything from a break and

enter to a spousal assault and
what to expect from that victim
and what they can offer them,’’
said Walsoff.

North Vancouver RCMP Cpl.
Sheila Armstrong, the officer in
charge of the detachment’s com-
munity policy division, was the
last RCMP member to act as a
coordinator of the Victims’
Assistance Program before it was
turned over to Walsoff.

She said the victims of crime
appreciate the service offered.

“The basic principle of the

program is to help victims of
crime...through any pain or suf-
fering or trauma that they may
have suffered because of the
crime.

““We get a very positive
response from people when we
phone them. They’re glad that the
police actually care enough to
follow up and see how they’re do-
ing.

“It makes it worthwhile to
know we were able to help that
victim, because the police officers

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themselves are sometimes too busy
to take the time to spend with
them.

*There’s never enough police
officers anywhere,’’ said Arm-
strong. :

She added that the program is
always looking for volunteers. A
volunteer must be willing to spend
at least four hours a week work-
ing for one year. .

LINDA WALSOFF, coordinator

of the North Vancouver .

RCMP’s Victims’ Acsistance
Program, offers help to the
victims of crime. .

For more information on the
North Vancouver RCMP’s Vic-
tims’ Assistance Program, . call
Walsoff at 985-1311, local 381.-

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