Domestic Violence and the Police

Domestic Violence and the Police
Domestic Violence and the Police From Douglas Larsen, The most dangerous situations Every police department in America knows that domestic violence calls are among the most dangerous calls they make. In fact, domestic violence calls are one of the biggest cop-killers in the nation! Emotions run high The thing to remember about a domestic violence call is that things are already out of control. One of the participants, or a neighbor, has decided that it is necessary to call 9-1-1. That means there has already been screaming, crashing, sounds of violence or injury, or some credible threats of injury or death. The other thing to remember about a domestic violence call is that the perpetrator of the violence is a dangerous and emotionally unstable person. Sponsored Links Michigan Criminal Lawyers Aggressive Criminal Defense for DUI Assaults, Drug and other offenses. www.legalgenius.com We Fight to Win Ohio / OH Ohio Domestic Violence Defense / OH Attorney - Lawyer Free Consult 24/7 ohio-criminaldefense.com Phoenix Family Shelter Abused family housing. We will believe you and keep you safe. www.mercyconnection.com While drugs and alcohol don't cause abuse, many abusers use them as excuses for their violence, and in those cases, police officers are confronted with a perpetrator who is drunk, stoned, or both. The "decision" to commit domestic violence is never logical; it is never the result of a calm and careful deliberation. It is an act of violence and madness, so even if drugs and alcohol aren't involved, don't count on the perpetrator being willing to listen to reason. The victim of the domestic violence can also be a problem. Incensed by fear, frustration and hopelessness, the victim may try a violent act as well. Needless to say, any children in the area will be badly scarred by the experience. In their own home, where they are supposed to be the safest, they are living in fear, desperation, and helplessness. This can cause emotional wounds and also physical damage. Studies show that children who live in constant fear will be afflicted with chemical and hormonal changes that safe children don't have. These chemical changes will harm the child's physical and mental development, reducing their ability to learn, to concentrate, and think rationally. Weapons Chances are, if you have a weapon, you have it at home. Hunting rifles, handguns, shotguns, hunting knives, or kitchen knives all tend to stored in the home. That is also where most domestic disturbance calls take place, so the perpetrator of a domestic incident will generally have easy access to all of the weapons the family owns. If police are called to an armed robbery, they will show up with their heaviest weapons and wearing the heaviest-duty bulletproof vests they can get. But domestic disturbances are so common that the same degree of caution isn't practical. Officers usually respond to domestic disturbances with only their handguns and their standard (relatively lightweight and small) bulletproof vests. Usually, this is adequate. Most domestics are resolved without weapons or violence. But some perpetrators could suddenly appear with a high-powered hunting rifle. As one officer who experienced it told me, "The only thing that will stop those bullets is a thick oak tree. My vest felt about as safe as a piece of paper!" So when you combine the emotions described above with the weapons described above, chances are high that somebody's going to get hurt. A routine domestic call turns into a headline news item with a body count. Are the victims family members, police officers, or the perpetrator? It could be all three. The perpetrator doesn't care. "Suicide by Cop" There is a phenomenon that is increasingly common, and very difficult for the police. It is known as "suicide by cop." In these instances, the perpetrator wants to die, but can't manage to kill himself. So he takes a weapon and charges at the police, ignoring their warnings to stop. Eventually, the danger of his actions force the police officers to shoot in their own defense, and the perpetrator dies. "Suicide by cop" results in an enormous amount of paperwork and expense for the department and the taxpayers that finance it. But by far the worst part is the emotional toll on the officers who have been forced into a shooting situation. High Frequency Some studies estimate that domestic violence situations constitute up to 90% of a police officer's work! Many colleges that teach Law Enforcement are responding to this reality by increasing the coursework to prepare students for domestic situations. Police forces augment that with extra on-site training. But while these actions will help, the main characteristic of a domestic situation is its unpredicatbility, so training only goes so far. Domestic situations also tend to follow the well-known 80/20 rule, where 20% of the people are responsible for 80% of the calls. Officers find themselves responding to the same type of event at the same house over and over again. Frequently, the tension and frustration in the house is higher every time. Who knows when it will explode? http://incestabuse.about.com/od/domesticabuse/a/police.htm

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