Home      Login

Abstract: 

Not all domestic violence calls result in injury, but many do—the question that must be asked is what happens just before that critical break point, before a victim or officer is harmed responding to a domestic violence call? Drawing on more than 20 years of field experience, this article examines the common and predictable sequence of events that often occur in a DV call. Mark Wynn describes the most important danger assessment protocols, cites examples of productive advocate-police relationships, highlights effective tactics such as post-arrest victim visits to help navigate the court system and conduct risk assessments, and stresses the need for ongoing training for first responders throughout their careers.

Keywords: domestic violence homicides; culture of male privilege; Power and Control Wheel; Enhanced Police Intervention Collaboration; domestic violence checklist; intelligence-led policing

Affiliations:  1: Nashville Metro Police Dept (Ret.).