As the coordinator of the Jasper Victim Services Unit, Paul Schmidt sees a side of Jasper that most residents will never be exposed to. His job is to attend the scene of tragic accidents and crimes and to console the victims, whoever they might be.
In this monthly column, Schmidt will talk about some of the issues he sees within the town and park. He won鈥檛 speak for victims or the other agencies that work with them, he will address the issues from his own perspective, drawing on his experience in the field.
After a brief chat outside the courthouse a few weeks back, I realized there鈥檚 a lot to share about the issues I see as the Jasper Victim Services Coordinator.
Articles in the paper aren鈥檛 something I would have considered in the early years of my victim services career, but after seven years in the position, I feel I can ensure that what I write is from a broader perspective, and not related to any specific victims of crime or trauma. So, here we are with my first installment of Jasper Victim Services Perspective.
To kick things off, I鈥檒l explain the partnerships that allow the Jasper Victim Services Unit to ensure victims of crime and trauma are treated with compassion.
It takes a lot of people and organizations working collaboratively for me to successfully do my job.
The majority of Jasper Victim Services鈥� funding comes through the provincial Victims of Crime Fund Grant; the Municipality of Jasper, and Improvement District #12 also provide funding.
There are many other supporters in our community, from the business owners who donate silent auction items, to the individuals who attend our fundraising events, and those who make charitable donations.
The Jasper RCMP provides victim services with an office in the detachment, access to a computer, as well as the Justice Online Information Network, phones and internet. This provision of RCMP office space is greater than its simple financial contribution and is significant for victim services as the majority of our referrals come from the RCMP. Our strong working relationship allows me to assist victims, and also to bring back difficult questions on their behalf.
We work with the Yellowhead Emergency Shelter for Women and Jasper Community Outreach Services, and speak with Crown prosecutors on a regular basis, in an attempt to keep victims informed and prepared for court as they go through the often daunting legal process.
The hospital is another agency that has allowed us to utilize space in the assistance of trauma victims and their families, and they often call upon our services when the needs of those at the hospital are beyond the medical needs they鈥檙e caring for.
Our local emergency medical services staff and paramedics provide initial lifesaving support as victims of trauma are bought to the hospital, and they care for victims when they have to go to hospital facilities in the city. In those scenarios, there are often family members left behind who need assistance and that鈥檚 where victim services comes in.
Parks Canada also calls for assistance when there are serious incidents in Jasper National Park. That could mean assistance for victims of climbing, boating, diving or hiking accidents.
I am not a counsellor or a therapist, but I often make referrals to our local mental health therapists and to Employee Assistance Plans that people may have as a part of their health benefit plans through work. Self-care is important for everyone and I do take the opportunity to speak to Laurie-Ann from mental health鈥攚ho happens to be our board president鈥攁nd I make use of my employee assistance plan when I feel that my mind is being overwhelmed. There is a lot of discussion in the media about PTSD and I believe that any of us who experience a traumatic event, or vicariously experience one through our work, must seek assistance in carrying this burden.
Jasper Victim Services, mental health services and the fire brigade work cooperatively as a Critical Incident Stress Management Team, and we are another resource in the community when information needs to be shared in crisis management briefings, defusings, or debriefings.
That鈥檚 already a long list of relationships that exist between Jasper Victim Services and our partnering agencies, but beyond those individuals and organizations, I also have a strong responsibility to our own advocates, who maintain an RCMP security clearance, complete Solicitor General online training and undertake other training opportunities so they can also provide services to victims in Jasper.
They do this on their own time and volunteer to be on-call, putting their lives on hold, often leaving social occasions, or the comfort of their own bed to be there to assist victims who have complex needs. Victim Services has a great board that knows the needs that we serve, and as my direct employer and supervisor, I am accountable to them for the decisions that I make as the coordinator.
While we live in a great community, and we are right to feel safe most of the time, crimes of every nature do occur here. I鈥檓 not intending to write from the perspective of any of the above agencies, and certainly not for the individual victims that I have met in the past seven years. I hope that some of my experience may lead to a broader understanding of what victims experience through tragic incidents.
If you have any questions for Jasper Victim Services, please call 780-852-2275 or come by the office at the Jasper RCMP Detachment at 600 Bonhomme St.
In next month鈥檚 edition of Jasper Victim Services Perspective, Schmidt will talk about a topic taught to junior high and high school students, but often left unspoken in adulthood: consent.
Paul Schmidt
Special to the 51暗网
