U.K. instructors train Barrie police in victim support services
To better support victims of crime, a dozen Barrie police officers went back to the classroom.
Instructors from the United Kingdom College of Policing brought the victim support instructors to Barrie at the behest of Barrie Det. Const. Deborah Howe of the Major Crime Unit.
After attending the course last year, Howe knew the inclusive and diverse training would benefit Barrie.
"The level of instruction is second to none, and having additional officers trained from our service is invaluable. Our community will appreciate these officers and the professional approach, dedication, and commitment they can offer in what is a very difficult time for a victim's family," Howe said.
In Ontario, police follow an investigative protocol when it comes to any complex investigations, such as a homicide or a traffic fatality where there has been a loss of life.
Part of the provincial protocol identifies the need to have someone identified who can be the main point of contact with the victim's family. This liaison includes providing support as well as keeping the family appraised of any developments in the ongoing investigation.
"By participating in this recent training opportunity, we will be able to better support our community when they need us most," said Sgt. Jason Frye of Barrie's recruitment unit after attending the course.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
Police officers from York Regional Police, Toronto Police and South Simcoe Police also participated in the course.
Just days after the course concluded, Barrie police called upon two of the service's newly-trained family liaison officers to provide support to a family affected by a fatality in our community, spokesman Peter Leon said in a news release.
"As we move forward, our designated family liaison officers will be able to share the responsibility that often falls upon one person within our service. Having a team of highly trained professionals allows us to deal with tragedy in a manner that is focused upon the family of the involved victim," said Barrie police Chief Rich Johnston.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a "major assault."
DEVELOPING Defence rests without Donald Trump taking the witness stand in his New York hush money trial
Donald Trump's lawyers rested their defence Tuesday without the former president taking the witness stand in his New York hush money trial.
Passenger killed, 30 injured as Singapore Airlines flight hits severe turbulence
One passenger was killed and 30 injured after a Singapore Airlines SIAL.SI flight from London hit severe turbulence en route on Tuesday, forcing it to make an emergency landing in Bangkok, officials and the airline said.
Feels like mid-30s in parts of Canada, while other areas expecting snow
Anything is possible this week, as far as Canada's weather is concerned, with forecasts ranging from scorching heat in some parts of the country to rain and snow in others.
Canada's inflation cools to 3-year low of 2.7%, in boost for rate cut bets
Canada's annual inflation rate slowed to a three-year low of 2.7 per cent in April, matching expectations, and core measures continued to ease, data showed on Tuesday, likely boosting chances of a June interest rate cut.
'Documents are fraudulent': Graceland is not for sale, Elvis Presley's granddaughter says in lawsuit
Riley Keough, the granddaughter of Elvis Presley, is fighting plans to publicly auction his Graceland estate in Memphis after a company tried to sell the property based on claims that a loan using the king of rock ’n’ roll's former home as collateral was not repaid.
Trump campaign calls 'The Apprentice' 'blatantly false,' director offers to screen it for him
Donald Trump's reelection campaign called 'The Apprentice,' a film about the former U.S. president in the 1980s, 'pure fiction' and vowed legal action following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. But director Ali Abbasi is offering to privately screen the film for Trump.
Nestle to sell $5 pizza, sandwiches in the U.S. for Wegovy, Ozempic users
Nestle NESN.S will market a new, US$5 line of frozen pizzas and protein-enriched pastas in the United States which it says it designed specifically for people taking drugs such as Wegovy or Ozempic for weight loss.
What is BORG drinking, and why is it a dangerous trend? An expert explains
If you've been to a party lately and haven't seen someone drinking a BORG, you're likely not partying with college students.