Domestic Violence: What Happens when You Call Police
Don't Be Afraid to Call for Help
It's my hope that I can help victims of family violence to feel more at ease in calling the police for help. This is what you can expect when police respond to a family violence call.
*The officer will ask you if you need any medical assistance and will call for it if you request it. If you appear badly injured, they will request an ambulance to have paramedics check you out.
*The officer will question you to find out what happened before they arrived. This is your opportunity to tell them the facts. If you have experienced any prior abuse by the suspect, you should let the officer know. It's not uncommon for the police officer to ask you additional questions to clarify what you have told him/her.
*If you have children who witnessed the incident and are old enough to relate that information, the officer will want to question them. They will speak with any potential witnesses to get their statements.
*Most police departments in Texas (and other states) have forms or cards with information for family violence victims. These forms have names and telephone numbers of domestic violence shelters, abuse hotlines, and your local District Attorney's office. If you feel that you will still be in danger, you should let the officer know that information. They will explain to you how to get a Protective Order against the suspect.
*The officer will request permission to take pictures of any of your injuries. Some departments use their Crime Scene technicians to take the photographs. Some police departments will have the officer take the photographs. If it is necessary, a female officer may be called to the scene to take the pictures of a female victim. The pictures of the injuries will be used as evidence in the case.
*It should be known that in felony cases, even when a family violence victim is hesitant to press charges, the State of Texas will prosecute the suspect anyway. This is true in California as well.
*If the crime is determined to be a Misdemeanor, most departments will still physically arrest the suspect and transport them to jail. Some police departments choose instead to issue Misdemeanor tickets and require the suspect to leave the location.
If you need help, you can call 911. If you want to speak to someone at the Domestic Violence hotline, you can call The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or TTY 1-800-787-3224. It is important to remember that the victim of domestic violence is not to blame.
**I first published this article as the Kaufman County Crime Examiner**
Sources: http://www.ndvh.org/
Interviews with Texas police officers.
My own experience as a police officer for 10 years.
Published by Sherri Thornhill
I am a retired Police Officer and a professional freelance writer. I enjoy writing about a variety of topics. In addition to Yahoo Voices, I write for Examiner.com as the National Generation X Examiner, the... View profile
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- Photos of your injuries and any damage to the location will be taken by law enforcement for evidence
- The officer needs to interview you and any witnesses, including kids.
- A victim of DV has the right to obtain a Protection Order aka Restraining Order
26 Comments
Post a CommentGreat and informative article, thank you! It's good to see many states now prosecuting when the abuse victim rescinds. I lost my mother to domestic violence, way back when the authorities did very little to aid victims.
A very important article. I will tweet it on Twitter.
Unfortunately, domestic violence is not handled that well in Florida. When men lie and say the women either started it or scratched him while she was trying to remove his hands from her throat, they say "we can arrest both of you or none of you." I hope things will improve there since lots of women and children are being killed there. God bless.
:)! from your teammate!
So glad I have never had to use this information, but sadly there are many women (and men) that do. Great info!
Right on the money, Sherri! In Georgia we take them in and the charges are filed regardless of whether the abused wife wants to press charges or not. Domestic violence is taken seriously here.
Good article...but how often are the criminals who left the scene actually found....
Interesting and informative article, Sherri! Thanks for writing this! I hope it helps many people :)
Thanks Sherri for getting this information out there.
Great information, I'm glad there have been positive changes with this.