Domestic Assault Among Police: A Survey of Internal Affairs Policies

• NCJ Number: 188495
• Author(s): Larry Boyd; Daniel Carlson; Rick Smith; Gary W. Sykes
• Date Published: 1995
• Length: 21 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Southwestern Legal Foundation
• Corporate Author: Southwestern Law Enforcement Institute; Arlington Police Dept
• Sale Source: Southwestern Law Enforcement Institute; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Advanced Management College Paper Series

Annotation

This paper reports on the methodology and findings of a study of the dimensions of domestic assault among police officers, what agencies are doing in response to this problem, and what policies are in place.

Abstract

Of 151 survey questionnaires mailed to police agencies throughout the country, 123 were completed and returned (82-percent response rate). The survey solicited police officials' perceptions on the scope of domestic assault problems within their respective departments, policy responses, and disciplinary actions. Of the responding departments, 28.4 percent reported increases in domestic violence cases that involved on-duty or off-duty officers during the past 24 months; however, none of the departments reported conducting any formal research or analysis of this trend. Regarding departmental responses to officer domestic violence, 45.3 percent reported they had no specific policy for dealing with officer-involved domestic violence; consequently, these incidents are handled on a "case-by-case" basis. Slightly more than 23 percent of the respondents stated that they made no distinction between cases that involve police officers compared to noncommissioned employees or the general public. Over 9 percent indicated they had higher, or different, standards for officer-involved domestic assaults. Confidential counseling programs, the preferred method of response, were offered at 96.7 percent of the responding departments. Of these, 82.4 percent had the ability to require officers to participate in such programs. Regarding reasons for increases in domestic violence among officers, 78.4 percent of the respondents suggested that society is becoming far less tolerant of domestic violence cases. Regarding the tenure of the officers involved in domestic violence, 67.9 percent of the respondents could detect no discernible relationship between years of service and involvement in domestic violence. Approximately 52 percent of the respondents stated that counseling would be the discipline normally imposed after the first, sustained complaint, and 31 percent indicated that suspension without pay was the normal form of discipline for such cases. This report advises that a fair, well-articulated, and comprehensive written policy developed before a department faces controversial domestic assault cases is a wise course of action. 18-item bibliography, appended questionnaire, and sample policy guidelines