File photo
File photo
The City of Dallas’ Domestic Violence Task Force recently issued a report recommending changes to policy and training in order to attempt to reduce incidents of domestic violence by 25% over three years.
Mayor Eric Johnson tasked the force with creating the report in March at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the coronavirus has made domestic violence a significantly more pressing issue due to stay-at-home orders trapping victims at homes with their abusers, according to the city.
The report’s recommendations include increasing available shelter space for single women; providing a refresher courses for patrol officers and additional training for domestic violence detectives; hiring a victim’s advocate at the Dallas Police Department; and providing a Lethality Assessment Profile (LAP) – to be audited annually for gaps – to magistrate judges and probation officers.
The task force also recommends reforming the bond process to prevent violent abusers from being released and threatening their victims, and increasing training and education – from expanded domestic violence curriculums in schools and training for teachers to ensuring education and outreach meets the needs of the various communities in the area.
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