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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.