Having a major crime or incident go down in your local neighbourhood can be traumatizing, and there should be more support for these “tertiary” victims, highlights a report from Delta Police Chief Neil Dubord.
This is the goal of the Delta Police Department’s (DPD) Neighbourhood Incident Response Support Team (NIRST), who visit neighbourhoods where a critical incident or event has occurred.
“When a major, traumatic or critical incident occurs, it can be distressing to those that live or work in the area,” said Dubord in a report presented to the Delta Police Board earlier this month. “Such incidents often leave behind impacts, with systems often in place to support the primary and secondary victims. Tertiary victims, such as those living or working in the vicinity, however are seldom considered and rarely receive support.”
The NIRST, which is comprised of DPD officers, staff and volunteers, was created in 2019 to bridge this gap in support and resources.
The team can be deployed by the DPD’s Community Support Section to areas where incidents like homicides, sexual assaults, home invasions or violent robberies have occurred.
There, the team provides support, helps to reduce anxiety and promotes empowerment through offering emotional support, factual information, education and resources to those indirectly impacted by the incident.
“The [NIRST] was deployed in the Scottsdale Mall parking lot following the Randhawa homicide in May 2021 and, most recently, following the shooting in the 11800 block of 92 Ave. of North Delta,” added Dubord.
As previously reported by the Optimist, the Feb. 4 shooting left a man dead early that morning in a home in North Delta, despite lifesaving efforts.
Delta Police say, so far these two incidents are the only times the team has been deployed so far.
“Ensuring a sense of safety in our community members is one of the top priorities for the DPD,” said Dubord. “Deployment of the [NIRST] following a critical incident is an essential step in community outreach to provide factual information and reassure that the community has a sense of safety, which can no doubt be impacted by critical incidents.”
