NCJ Number
206169
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 31 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2004 Pages: 132,134,136,137
Date Published
June 2004
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article, the first in a series, reviews the oft-hidden problem of domestic violence in police families.
Abstract
Research suggests that domestic violence within police families may be more prevalent than in the general public. Despite its prevalence, there has been a paucity of research on the topic and there remains no accurate measure of the domestic violence within police families. Part of the problem resides in the scarcity of documentation on this topic by law enforcement personnel. According to experts, domestic violence in police families can be triggered by many factors, among them stress. The pressures of police work may be bottled up and taken home with officers, sometimes resulting in violent homes. Victims of domestic violence often do not know where to get help when the batterer is a police officer. In some cases, officers fail to make reports when violence involves a fellow officer. A well-publicized case in which officers did not intervene in domestic violence situation involving a fellow officer is reviewed. Part of the problem in addressing the problem of domestic violence in police families is attributed to the old-school philosophy of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” The author encourages positive change, including making police counseling services widely available and holding officers accountable for the violence they commit. A second article is this series explores police domestic violence and a program for officers and their families involving education, treatment, and therapy.