Crime victims, witnesses in good hands – and paws
Managing the Penticton RCMP’s victim services program is a tough job, and now Dede Dacyk has an award for doing it.
Dacyk, who began volunteering 17 years ago with the program that provides assistance to victims and witnesses of crime, was one of six recipients of the Community Safety and Crime Prevention Awards announced this week by the B.C. government.
The awards recognize community leaders and organizations for their ongoing support for victims of crime, including those impacted by gender-based violence.
“When you’re meeting people, you’re meeting them at the most vulnerable time of their lives, so you just hope to make a tiny bit of a difference walking them through the process, finding resources and figuring out what comes next,” she said Friday.
“Just so they know they’re not alone.” Neither is she.
Since 2016, Dacyk has been accompanied at work by Calypso, a yellow Labrador retriever, trained as a therapy animal by the Pacific Assistance Dog Society.
Calypso, who was the first such therapy dog linked to an RCMP victim services program is B.C., is well-known at the Penticton courthouse, where she helps provide a calming presence for victims and witnesses.
Dacyk and the other award winners “demonstrate that we can make a real difference in the lives of those who have been impacted by crime, violence and victimization,” Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said in a press release.
“On behalf of the government, I want to thank each recipient for their dedication and commitment in keeping our communities safe and helping survivors of crime.”