Training Law Enforcers to Address Cases of Domestic Violence

Law enforcement officers from the Salt Lake City Police Department in Utah are not being provided with the resources necessary to effectively respond to domestic violence cases. The state of Utah currently retains the highest rate of domestic violence related homicides in the nation. Furthermore, Salt Lake City crime statistics reveal that rape and aggravated assault counts are worse than the national average. The lack of training and support available to law enforcement officers fosters a feeling of despondency and frustration associated with handling domestic violence interventions among the police. Furthermore, law enforcement officers are failing to appropriately utilize the state’s implemented mandatory arrest policy for domestic violence* as a result of insufficient instruction. Accordingly, battered female victims are discouraged from and reluctant to reach out to law enforcement or government services because they feel neglected, ignored, or mishandled by inadequately prepared police officers. The consequential decrease of victim outreach to law enforcement contributes to increased homicides and violence perpetrated throughout Salt Lake City.

Limited police officer training regarding domestic violence interventions has led to inappropriate and ineffective police behavior when handling battered victims in several key ways:

1. Officers are unable to clearly distinguish primary aggressors from primary victims and end up arresting battered victims. The arrest of victims leads to a decrease in their outreach to government resources or social services, and perpetuates future violence.
2. Officers are not trained to maintain detailed records of domestic violence calls. The lack of information gathered about calls can be detrimental to the safety of officers who are called back to such homes in the future and have no background information readily available. Furthermore, victims are further endangered if their calls are not being appropriately accounted for by law enforcement.
3. Officers do not understand how to appropriately address victims. During investigative procedures, officers often speak with victims in front of aggressors, causing victims to shut down. Furthermore, officers do not know what terminology to use to calm down victims and gather the information necessary to gauge the urgency of the case.
4. Officers are unsure as to how to fill out the complicated paperwork for pressing charges and are more apt to abandon such paperwork due to frustration. Such attitudes allow many aggressors to go free.
5. Officers are unaware of the many assistance resources available to battered victims. This lack of knowledge makes it so that officers are unable to fully assist victims by directing them to sources of aid.