Type:	Journal Article
Title:	Model policy for officer domestic violence
Other Titles:	Law & Order
Authors:	Harrington, Penny Lonsway, Kim
Keywords:	Training;Perpetrators;Policy;Policing
Year:	2003
Publisher:	Hendon Publishing Company
Citation:	51 (10), October 2003
Notes:	See http://www.theiacp.org/documents/pdfs/Publications/domviolmodelpolicy%2Epdf for the Model Policy:discussed here. This article examines the finding that officers of law enforcement agencies in the United States may be more likely to perpetrate domestic violence than the general population. The Lautenberg Act prohibits officers from owning or using firearms if convicted of a domestic violence offence. In response to this phenomenon, the International Association for Chiefs of Police (IACP) released a Model Policy:and supporting Concepts and Issues Paper to cover the handling of police and police employees who perpetrate domestic violence offences. The Model Policy:clearly states that law enforcement agencies must set a standard of zero tolerance through implementing clear written policy disseminated to all employees and adequate training to address past, present and future police domestic violence. If they fail to do this, the department may be liable. Training includes understanding the issues involved; identifying warning signs; victim safety; and federal and domestic violence laws. Officers responsible for monitoring other officers’ behaviour require additional training on warning signs and conducting background investigations of potential police investigations. Such investigations include past arrests; questioning previous wives and girlfriends; as well as checking the applicant’s address for past 911 calls. All applicants must be subject to investigation and if there are any problems revealed, applicants should be screened out at the hiring stage. The Model Policy:recommends that families receive letters outlining the department’s policy and inviting family members to workshops on the department’s policy on domestic violence. All supervisors must monitor the behaviour of officers for warning signs which include: excessive use of force on the job; stalking; high incidences of physical altercations; verbal disputes; complaints of aggression and verbal abuse; inappropriate treatment of animals; injuries to the officer; monitoring or controlling any family member through phone calls; stalking; discrediting the intimate partner; excessive tardiness; and alcohol or drug abuse. Where appropriate, the officer must be referred for an independent evaluation of the officer’s fitness for duty. Officers have an obligation to report colleagues’ domestic violence of related behaviour. If police are called to the scene of officer-perpetrated domestic violence, they must attend primarily to the victim’s safety and, if no arrest results, must provide a written explanation. There are even more complex recommendations if the victim is also an officer to ensure that they are protected in the workplace. In either case, where an officer is the victim or the perpetrator of domestic violence, the department must initiate a criminal and administrative investigation. Administrative orders can include that the officer must attend counselling or any other requirements that the victim may have.
URI:	https://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/handle/1/15848
ISSN:	0023-9194
Appears in Collections:	Journal Articles

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