The officer and her advocate can request that the police department develop a safety plan for her, both on and off duty. This should include a thorough risk and lethality assessment. It might also include allowing her to take a leave of absence without loss of pay or seniority. Every effort must be made to ensure that the safety plan does not punish her with loss of status, loss of pay, or unnecessary inconvenience or hardship.
When the abuser is in the same department, the safety plan should include measures to separate the victim and abuser on the job.
It might include an Administrative Order of Protection against the abuser and/or transferring the abuser to a different shift or assignment, or reassigning the victim (without a loss of pay or seniority). The safety plan might include assigning another officer to ride with her and/or the abuser while on duty. Off duty, the department can place the victim on a drive-by watch — with her permission.
If the department mandates her to get counseling, we can support her request to receive counseling at the local domestic violence agency instead of through an Employee Assistance Program, department counselor, or department chaplain.
A counselor who has expertise in domestic violence issues will help keep her safety and well-being as the focus and first priority. In addition, her confidentiality is protected as the counselor does not report to the department.
A civil order of protection can be an effective method of warning an abusive officer to restrain from further violence. If the victim is considering this option, she needs to know whether her department's policy mandates the petitioner to inform the department of the order. This requirement may deter her from obtaining an order because she may not want to notify the department.
Another option is an Administrative Order of Protection which can be issued by the abuser's department. This is a direct order from command level for the abuser to refrain from specific conduct, such as going to the victim's home or contacting her. If the officer violates it, the department can discipline him for insubordination.
A victim in law enforcement will try to avoid calling 911. She is typically embarrassed to admit that she is being battered, and knows that it will open her life to scrutiny by her employer. She also knows that officers are loathe to respond to a domestic at another officer's home, and do not want to be in situations where they may have to arrest a colleague.
If police are called — whether by the victim or her child or a neighbor — responding officers may be conflicted about whom to believe. They may be confused in determining the predominant aggressor, particularly if both parties are police officers and no policy or protocol guides arrest decisions.
Going to a domestic violence shelter may not be a viable option because her abuser may know the location of local shelters.
We suggest that you contact other DV service providers — before a critical incident — in order to identify resources and locations which might be able to provide temporary shelter and assistance.
Don't hesitate to contact us — whether you are in need of immediate assiatnce or developing a crisis intervention plan.
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When the Batterer Is a Law Enforcement Officer
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