Domestic Violence
Know what a restraining order/ 209a order
actually is
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE By:Officer Denise Papagno
I was recently appointed Domestic Violence Officer for the Easton Police Department. As the Domestic Violence Officer one of my responsibilities is to report to the chief of police and advise him of any department needs and make recommendations in this area. The chief has emphasized this position because he recognizes the growing problem of domestic violence and the need for a specialized position to address it. This position concentrates on monitoring domestic violence cases in conjunction with the Easton Police department's strong commitment to community policing. Upon my appointment I reviewed several case histories of domestic violence that occurred in Easton. The purpose of this was to evaluate where the problems are and what actions the department can take to improve service to the victims. The other reason for this study was to develop a system to conduct follow up investigations. I made a few observation for improvements in the area of domestic violence: tracking, and dispatching officers to domestic violence calls.
After attending the domestic violence course at Curry College I realized that another area for improvement would be education to all police personnel. In general the domestic violence cases that I reviewed showed the same pattern. Many cases were either boyfriend-girlfriend or husband and wife. I found that the police have responded several times to the same address for domestic problems. The nature of the first few calls were for a loud disturbance which the police would report as an argument. The next call progressed to the victim getting a (209a) restraining order and the aggressor would leave the home. Ultimately, after the couple would resume their relationship, an incident of violence would occur. Some cases further continued when the aggressor violated the (209a) restraining order. A mandatory arrest is required for this offense. There were not many cases that escalated to stalking. The information showed that the police had responded to some of these addresses over 15 times in a two year period. Learning the results of a Minneapolis study of spousal homicides, and police response proved to me that early intervention is necessary to offer help and stop the cycle of violence. The Minneapolis study found that in 85 % of spousal homicides the police had responded at least one time and in 65 % responded five times in two years.
There are several ways to disseminate information about domestic violence. The law dictates that the police give a victim a card that explains all their rights under the abuse law. As domestic violence officer I have put together a package for victims of domestic violence. When the officers at the scene are explaining their rights, they also give them this package. This package contains: the (209a) abuse law card, a letter supporting Easton's view against domestic violence (see letter included at the end of paper), a business card with my name and title of domestic violence officer on it. Also included are two handouts for a local shelter with services available and telephone numbers of different agencies that deal with a number of problems that may arise in a domestic violence case. I have also added these packages to all the emergency (209a) restraining order envelopes and made informational handouts available in the lobby of the police station.
The police can also get information to our children by actively participating in school programs. The fact that 50% of batteries also abuse their children and 68 % of the convicted murderers between the ages of one and 20 killed their mother's abuser, tells us what a horrible effect domestic violence has on our children. If our goal is to stop the cycle of domestic violence, then we must identify children in need of services and help them so they don't grow up and become batterers or victims themselves. One way is for the D.A.R.E. officer to introduce the youth safety plan to students. This youth safety plan was included in a package from the class at Curry College. It includes how to stay safe and where to get help. Education for the high school students would include topics on teen dating violence incorporated with self protection and date rape. The objective of community policing is to work together with the community as a partnership to improve their quality of life. The police can work with several community groups and provide them with information so they can in turn offer it to other members of there group. Campaigning against domestic violence must be a community effort. Residents can be provided with information from informational inserts in local bills such as: water, tax, electric and the phone bill. This is one idea of many that domestic violence advocates can create to help stop domestic violence.
The role of the traditional police officer is changing with the philosophy of community policing. In the traditional scenario a police officer would respond to a call and restore peace as soon as possible and then clear from the call. The community policing philosophy dictates that the officer review the problem, analyze it and try to come up with a solution to the problem. Theoretically this would help victims of domestic violence, except it's not realistic. Domestic violence calls are not the only calls for investigation that the police get every day. Because of the number and the nature of these calls, individual officers can't always conduct thorough follow up investigation. This is why specialty positions have been created such as the domestic violence officer.
The follow up investigation conducted by either the responding officer or the domestic violence officer is very important. As the domestic violence officer I review all domestic violence incidents. I check our computers to review the records of the family history, and a history of the address to understand the background of the case if any. I then confer with the responding officer. I also review the aggressors probation record. Once this is done I have a better idea of how serious the situation is. I then call the victim and offer them services that can help them. I may also need to meet with the victim to gather evidence for an arrest if there was an assault. Photographs are taken of any injuries or bruises at this time. This is also the time to help the victim prepare a safety plan. I then plan to meet with several agencies in the community to ensure proper referrals. These agencies include but are not to be limited to area hospitals, the Bristol County District Atom's Office, victim/witness advocates, Division of Social Services, elderly services, shelters, clergy and other Police Departments. It is important that agencies meet with each other, share information and discuss strategies and have a complete understanding of what each agency provides to ensure no specific service is omitted or duplicated.
Because society now views domestic violence as a serious crime and not a private family matter it's laws are constantly changing. This makes it difficult for the police as they need to be updated on recent court decisions and new laws. Both the police and society in general need to be educated on two main points. One, is why the victim doesn't leave and the second is why a batterer abuses. Once this is understood they will be more inclined to help a victim, even when the victim says they don't want to do anything. The police will also feel less helpless and will have the patience to begin to give them the help they are willing to accept . Police personnel also need additional training regarding domestic violence investigations, follow up and report writing. Updated training in report writing is critical to ensure prosecution when the victim refuses to testify. Training for dispatchers is also necessary. First, there should be uniformity among dispatchers and officers concerning the way domestic violence calls are entered into the computer. Secondly, new codes must be added for the computer incident tracking that indicate new (209a) restraining orders and when they are served to the defendant. Domestic violence calls are the most dangerous type of calls for the police. For this reason the dispatcher should give the following information to the responding officer, if available; any prior history of domestic violence, if there is an active (209a) restraining order in effect, and if any person in the household posseses a firearm permit.
Domestic violence is a serious problem. It affects men, women, and children of all ages and socioeconomic status. It is going to take a cooperative effort between residents, community agencies and the police to provide information in order to prevent and subsequently stop the violence and save lives. I found, throughout my research, that the police department can improve in several areas to ensure safety and prevention of domestic violence. The police are usually the first agency to become involved when a family is having domestic problems. It is at this time that information can be collected and other agencies are alerted to the situation. Tracking of these domestic violence cases and follow up investigation are critical to assess the needs of the victim and batterer.
The community must get involved with the campaign against domestic violence and the police personnel need continuous education and legal updates on this issue. A major hurtle that must be overcome is that of traditional beliefs on domestic violence. We now understand the repercussions it has on both our children and on the crime rate. Those of us with this knowledge must educate others. All citizens can get involved to do something to conquer domestic violence. I am pleased to be in a position where I can do my part to enhance the quality of life of these individuals and families that are experiencing the trauma of domestic violence.