The Seal Beach Police Department was recently received the Visionary in Victim Service Award at the Annual Victims’ Rights Conference in Costa Mesa on March 28. The award was issued by Community Service Programs, Inc., a non-profit agency that provides trained counselors and victim advocates in times of crisis.
“The largest mass killing in Orange County history took place on October 11, 2011 at the Salon Meritage in Seal Beach, a small, tightly knit community with only 30 sworn law enforcement officers. The collaborative response from over 40 agencies and organizations, which was instigated literally within minutes of the shootings, was truly visionary,” said the CSP.
The CSP Crisis Response Team, which provided trained grief counselors and victim advocates, witnessed the positive impact of this collaborative approach first hand.
“Seal Beach put our team to work, trusted in our professionalism and expertise, and worked with us to identify and meet the needs of impacted individuals that included not only the victim and surviving family members, but also City employees, first responders, witnesses, and the entire Seal Beach community,” said CSP.
In addition, the Seal Beach Police Department worked with their chaplains and Grace Community Church, who were also partners in providing grief support to the families of the deceased.
The visionary approach taken by the Seal Beach Police Department in response to this horrific crime has established a new standard of teamwork, collaboration, and service provision for both the city of Seal Beach and CSP. Accepting the award on behalf of the Seal Beach Police Department, Chief Luman said, “The men and women of the Seal Beach Police Department are to be highly commended for performing admirably under the most challenging, unimaginable circumstances. Our entire city came together as a team, and working together we were able to provide assistance for all of those requiring help, both during and after the incident. I would also like to acknowledge and commend the Seal Beach community who came together to provide substantial aid and assistance to those in need. The community refused to let this horrific act define our city. Instead, we will be defined by the generosity of their response.”