The Witness Support Team (WST) is designed as a resource for the University of Minnesota Police Department (UMPD) in situations where triage and support are needed for witnesses following a medium to large scale incident on campus. The Witness Support Team is present to support witnesses physically and psychologically while waiting for additional direction from the police during the investigation, and to provide structured support for witness triage to law enforcement.
Team Leads: Catherine Harrison and Joy Johnson-Lind
Team Member Roles and Responsibilities
Team Member Roles
- Witness triage and instructions: Gather basic information from witnesses to triage for investigation. Provide instructions for witnesses from law enforcement.
- Psychological support: Provide a calm and supportive presence to witnesses. Assess psychological needs and provide PFA or refer for more intensive support if needed.
- Physical/medical support: Perform initial assessment of anyone requesting assistance. Provide basic first aid BLS while awaiting EMS support or transport, if needed. Provide basic medication support for known but non-emergency conditions (e.g. access to medications for chronic needs).
- General and logistical support: Support witness access to food, water and other basic needs. Support response needs related to communications, supplies and other general needs, etc.
Team Member Responsibilities
- Training
- Orientation to the U of M Medical Reserve Corps Program (2025)
- MRC 101 (2025)
- PODS (Points of Dispensing): Public Health Training for Staff and Volunteers
- The National Incident Management System (NIMS) & the Incident Command System (ICS): A Primer for Volunteers (2024)
- Psychological First Aid: A Community Supported Model (2024)
- Stay Current on MRC Activities by reading MRC newsletters and visiting the MRC website
- Attend 1-2 team meetings a year
Team Member Time Commitment
- Attend a minimum of 1 team meeting per year
- Time commitment during actual responses/deployments will vary
- Participate in drills and exercises when available
- Participate in MRC deployments when available
- View on-line training modules listed above (1 hour for each module)