Officer Safety and Responsibilities at the Scene

Dangers in Responding to Domestic Violence Incidents According to the Uniform Crime Report: – Most officers responding to felonious incidents are killed between 6pm and 6am – Familiarity with the individuals involved leads to complacency. – Parties may be waiting for officers to arrive – Firearms are likely to be present at the scene

Chart by Domestic Abuse Project, Minneapolis, MN and by Cheryl Howard

Approaching the Scene  Follow department policy for lights/sirens but consider the agitation level of the suspect  Make written or mental notes of people, vehicles, evidence of crime, etc.  Discern threat level

Special Issues for Rural Officers  Small departments with fewer officers Single officer must respond Alternative officers for backup  Long distances = long response time  Many rural families have guns

At the Scene (1)  Be alert for weapons used from house  Avoid areas where weapons could be  Treat everyone at a DV scene as a potential threat  Plan for safe exit route  Other precautionary measures for high-risk scenes

At the Scene (2)  Be patient – WAIT FOR BACK-UP  Continually assess each individual  React to any sign of danger  Stay alert for the unexpected  Remember: DE-ESCALATION

Maintain CONTROL of your crime scene  Do not allow batterer to manipulate you  Do not give out safety-jeopardizing information  Do not tell the suspect that you understand their reasoning

Control Yourself  Do not take sides  Bias adds to potential for violence  Do not react impulsively or emotionally  Watch tone of voice and body language

Control the Parties  Start with the least aggressive technique  Be aware of territorial instincts  Be aware of cultural differences  Consider phrasing commands as requests  Manner is more important than wording

Separate the Parties  Separate parties visually as well as physically  If possible, keep your partner in sight  Be aware of each of the separated parties  Keep all parties and witnesses in sight

Moderate the Mood  Seat both Parties  Calm voice, simple instructions

Look for Weapons  Take control of obvious weapons  Make sure weapons are secured by cover officer  Unload and pocket ammunition  Never hand weapons back to either party  Check furniture before the offender sits

Lone Officers  Concentrate on the most aggressive individual  Instruct others at the scene to remain quiet  Keep other people at a distance, but within sight

The “Sophisticated” Batterer (1)  Is a MASTER of CONTROL  Will try to use distraction  May use manipulation to appear calm and logical

The “Sophisticated” Batterer (2) “ Sophisticated” Batterer’s Method of Operation = Officer Manipulation Officer’s Response: Be polite & courteous Obtain necessary clothing/property Once you make the arrest, get him/her away from the victim.

Officer Manipulation (1) An offender may….  Cause limited focus of what has actually happened  Limit the ability to detect patterns of behavior  Play on officer’s socialized and gender- based belief system  Lead officer to understand only what abuser wishes

Officer Manipulation (2) An offender may identify and rely on…  an officer’s bias  an officer’s individual belief system

Training Exercise Handling the Call: Domestic Violence Vignettes Scene 1 “It’s Not your Fault”

Acknowledgements Resources provided by: - Mark Wynn, Wynn Consulting – th Judicial Circuit FVCC Law Enforcement Committee - OVW Rural Grant Committee, 4 th Judicial Circuit - Law Enforcement Resource Center & Minnesota Program Development, Inc., 2000

This project was supported by Grant #2011-WE-AX-0055, awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice, through the Illinois Violence Prevention Authority. The original project was supported by Grant # 2008-WR-AX-0016, awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice, through the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. Points of view, opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations contained within this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, Illinois Violence Prevention Authority, or the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.