Officer Safetyand

Responsibilitiesat 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 –

www.markwynn.com

- 4th Judicial Circuit FVCC Law Enforcement

Committee

- OVW Rural Grant Committee, 4th 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.