Victim Services is putting out the word that a funding diversion of surplus monies will go towards hiring police officers and increase police programs instead of helping victims of crime as intended.

Victim Services Alberta states that services to victims of crime will be impacted by the UCP government’s Victim of Crime Act amendments now being considered.

The Victims of Crime Amendment Act, or Bill 16, “will see the tearing down of the fundamental principles entrenched in the original Victims of Crime Act created in 1990,” states Alf Rudd, President of the Alberta Police Based Victim Services Association in a June 1 news release.

“A ploy such as this does a great disservice to them (victims), and those dedicated to supporting them,” said Rudd.

“Association members have already felt impacts of victim funds being redirected for public safety initiatives as requests for operating funds have been reduced and training dollars all but eliminated.

“This is the wrong move for this province,” he added. “Funds need to first address the needs of victim services while any expanded use be judiciously considered after consultations with the victim serving community.”

At present, there is a $74 million surplus fund the province is eyeing to help with its enhanced policing initiative. Rudd said the surplus is due to “frugal use” of funds collected by community organizations under the original act’s mandate to collect a surcharge on fines assessed for various offences.

“If this legislation is successful,” he said, referring to Bill 16, “the Solicitor General will arbitrarily have unfettered access to the fund to provide more police, more prosecutors and fund other undefined public safety initiatives.

“This amounts to a raid on a fund that for 30 years has carefully and prudently provided a safe landing for those criminally and brutally treated.”

However, Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Doug Schweitzer defended the move, stating the expansion in scope of the Victims of Crime Fund to include public safety initiatives would deter crime and prevent victimization.

The government plans to use the Victims of Crime Fund to fund the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT), the Rural Alberta Provincial Integrated Defence (RAPID) Force, drug treatment courts and the hiring of more Crown prosecutors.

Instead of being used for the victim services for which the funds were collected, the monies will go towards organized and other serious crimes like illegal drug and gun trafficking, and online child exploitation. Funds will also go towards breaking addiction cycles related to crime, and more Crown prosecutors to keep perpetrators off the streets.

“Our government has heard loud and clear from Albertans that they are frustrated with a justice system that does not make them feel safe, secure and protected in their communities,” said Schweitzer.

Rudd noted that “these are not tax dollars,” but meant to support victim serving organizations in providing services directly to victims of crime and other tragedy.

“The money supports a cohort of volunteers in every corner of Alberta to be there in times of crisis to support and assist when tragedy strikes,” said Rudd.

These include Beaver County Victim Services volunteers who operate out of both the Viking and Tofield police detachments and provide this support for victims.

Read the rest of the story in the June 10 edition of The Tofield Mercury – on newsstands now. Or buy a digital edition below. 

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Patricia Harcourt
with files from Moush John