The Belleville Police Services Board received its annual report on Victim Support Services at its meeting on Thursday.
Since 2022, the Belleville Police Service has been able to utilize an embedded victim services worker within its ranks thanks to a provincial government grant entitled “Victim Support Grant.”
The person, employed by Hastings, Prince Edward and Lennox and Addington Victim Services, has attended scenes of intimate partner violence, sudden deaths, fires, etc. to provide immediate assistance to victims of crime.
Deputy Chief Sheri Meeks states in her report that the worker “has been instrumental after the fact to provide support, and refer victims to other community resources.”
Recently, a BPS application to the Victim Support Grant had been denied.
Speaking to the board, Meeks says the service worker is still there and police are looking at other grants to maintain their services.
“We need this service, and as you can see through the statistics in my report, this service is being used quite frequently within our service,” Meeks told the board.
“Our referrals go up from our officers, referring directly to victim services, so it’s a valuable asset.”
You can find the statistics at Belleville police’s website.
