Victim services
Helping victims of crime
When RCMP members arrive at the scene of a crime, victims are there, waiting for reassurance, information, and support. Although victims are most certainly a priority, the officers must focus on investigating the crime. This is when Victim Services units step in.
When the Victims Programs Assistance Act was enacted in 1991, there were 14 police-based Victims Services Units in Alberta. Today, there are 79 units, operating out of RCMP detachments and municipal police stations in the province. The expansion of police-based victim services has relied on the strong support of local volunteers and a strong working relationship between the Province and the RCMP. This commendable achievement reflects a deep, collective concern for some of Alberta’s most vulnerable citizens.
Most Albertans are unaware that Victim Services units are made up mostly of volunteers who devote countless hours – last year, nearly half a million - to ensure that victims receive support that is tailored to individual need. These volunteers deliver programs and services that enable the RCMP to serve victims in another way – by focusing on investigating the crimes at hand.
Contact us
Please contact your local RCMP Detachment and ask for the Victim Services unit, or visit Alberta Victim services page.
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