Meeting with the batterer's chief or supervisor is intimidating to most victims. Many victims of police-perpetrated domestic violence report being treated with skepticism or hostility when they have complained to the department. It may help if an advocate can get the department's permission to accompany her.
Advocates can also be intimidated by the authority and procedures of law enforcement.
Ideally, the advocate and her supervisor have already met with their legal advisor and discussed contingency plans. Counseling staff should be familiar with the department's complaint and disciplinary procedures, or where to safely obtain reliable information about those procedures.
We can provide important support to the victim by relaying sound information about how to approach the department and what to expect in its response.
Our role depends on the level of participation the victim wants us to have when she meets with department supervisors, and any restrictions that the department places on our participation.
Generally, an advocate who accompanies a woman is a witness, not a participant in the proceedings. As such, we are there to provide silent support, to review the event afterwards and to provide a reality check about what occurred. We can assist her in making notes of what was said and promised.
You must discuss the role she wants you to play before the meeting. For example, does she want you to ask questions about certain things, such as departmental policy or disciplinary action?
Never volunteer information that a victim does not want the department to know.
If she doesn't want to report that her abuser held a gun to her head because she is afraid he will lose his job, you must not disclose that information.
She may see the department as the only authority that the batterer will listen to. She probably does not want to damage his career, and may want to save the relationship.
She may want someone to talk to him and make him stop his threatening and abusive behavior. She might be hoping that the department can influence him to get counseling. She may fear that she will not receive police protection when she needs it, and wants the chief to be on notice.
She may be seeking justice for herself or believe that the community shouldn't be exposed to an abusive officer. She may be outraged that the abuser continues to enjoy the status and privileges of an officer while he flagrantly breaks the law.
Our role is to help her clarify why she wants to involve the department and help her assess whether her goals are realistic.
We can help find the words to describe her abuse accurately, in detail, and in her own words. We can discuss her concerns about the department's response, her batterer's reaction, and the impact on her safety, financial security, and support from the wider police family.
We can use what she knows about the department to help her anticipate how her complaint is likely to be received.
The supervisor or investigator may be dismissive of her, refuse to take her complaint, or insinuate that she is exaggerating or fabricating a story. They may patronize her and give the appearance that they take her complaint seriously, but take little further action. They may take her complaint seriously and react more aggressively than she anticipated.
She should be prepared for any of these responses.
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When the Batterer Is a Law Enforcement Officer: Guide for Advocates
Lessons Learned from Tacoma: The Problem of Police Officer Domestic Violence
Contact us for Safety in an Electronic World and the Safety Plan for Police Victims