Victim support group asks Kawartha Lakes police board for help
The Kawartha Lakes Police Services Board has been asked to share part of next year’s budget with victim services.
The request — roughly $100,000 — was made by Kawartha Haliburton Victim Services executive director John Hagarty during Thursday’s police board meeting.
Hagarty has been involved with the organization, which launched 27 years ago in Coboconk, since his retirement from policing in 2018. He gravitated toward it as a way for him to “continue to support the safety of the community.”
The organization is dedicated to aiding in such issues as child abuse, criminal harassment, missing persons, intimate partner violence, sexual assault, elder abuse, residential fires and tragic circumstances such as drowning, murder, suicide and motor vehicle deaths.
Close to 90 per cent of referrals to the organization are made via the police. The costs related to this work — approximately $280,000 annually — is covered by the province, as well as the Victim Services Support Fund. The Kawartha Lakes OPP provide office space.
Over the years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of incidents of intimate partner violence has steadily increased, noted Hagarty.
This led victim services to collaborate with the police service and women’s resources to capitalize on provincial funding.
The one-time grant supported the hiring of an intimate violence resource person working 24 hours a week. This was followed up by a two-year Ontario Trillium Foundation grant that facilitated a full-time resource position.
However, the funding runs out in March 2025.
“Which leads to me my ask; that the board consider contributing one per cent of its operating budget to support the program,” said Hagarty.
The committed funds would not only support the organization’s ongoing operations, but could potentially address another challenge.
“We’ve had difficulty recruiting for positions because our limited funding isn’t allowing us to pay for the types of people we want,” said Hagarty.
Board member and Kawartha Lakes Mayor Doug Elmslie said the group’s work in the community is invaluable. He moved that Hagarty’s presentation be received and referred for upcoming budget discussions.