'We focus on what they need': Police seek victim services volunteers

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Victims of crime or sudden loss need someone to turn to at the hardest time in their life, and the Saint John Police Force’s victim services unit is looking for volunteers to help.

The force is holding a virtual information session Thursday as it looks to recruit for the victim services unit, according to Laurett Nwaonumah, the force’s wellness and crisis intervention co-ordinator.

Nwaonumah said the police are looking for volunteers who can help respond during evening and weekend calls to offer crisis support, including referral services, to those who are victims or witnesses of crime or tragic loss, such as car accidents or missing persons cases.

“It’s about empowering them as much as we can. Many times when a victim has been impacted by a crime, it’s often times out of their control,” she said. “How can we ensure they are feeling empowered in this in terms of options?

“Really, it’s about walking alongside a person at their most vulnerable time.”

Nwaonumah said the unit offers emotional support, practical support and resource navigation, such as referrals to other services, and helps people understand their rights under the Canadian Victim’s Bill of Rights, passed in 2015.

She said they can also assist people involved in domestic violence cases, such as helping them apply for emergency intervention orders.

“When a victim has been impacted, especially if they’ve never been through the criminal justice system, it can be an overwhelming experience for them,” she said. “What do I do? Where do I go? What are my options?”

When a case progresses to the court stage, it then transfers to the province’s victims services unit, she said, which helps prepare victim impact statements and can provide courtroom support for victims.

Nwaonumah handles cases during working hours, then volunteers are assigned times to be on-call in case they’re needed to respond in the aftermath of an incident, she said.

She said the unit is “quite important” because while officers do help address victims’ needs, they are also tasked with investigating the case.

“Other people focus on suspects,” she said. “Our only lens is victims, and we focus on what they need.”

The type of volunteer they’re looking for is someone “mature and compassionate, with high levels of empathy,” Nwaonumah said.

They provide training, so they also are looking for someone reliable and dependable who can be flexible with their time, she said. The demand varies, and can be around four to five evenings a month, she said.

The virtual session is at 6 p.m. on March 21 via a Microsoft Teams link on the Saint John Police Force website. Information on how to volunteer is available at https://saintjohnpolice.ca/join-our-team/volunteer/victim-services-unit/.