We are extremely proud of the program that trained over 300 law enforcement officers in the Western New York on victims of domestic violence. The following is a synopsis of the program. The Erie County Coalition against Family Violence identified that victims of domestic violence have not uniformly received readily available community services. Previously, law enforcement would have considered that a problem social agencies were experiencing. Today, a community oriented policing agency would recognize that issue as a symptom of under-reporting or lack of knowledge of the services.
Law enforcement has considerable responsibility for the solution in both cases.
Law enforcement is an important link between victims in need and the domestic violence services agencies in the community. Any deficiency in that link can lead to tragic results. Officer resistance to the domestic violence initiatives is symptomatic of attitudinal problems and strongly suggests that the culture of the department could be more responsive to the community on domestic violence issues. Some victims withdraw in this circumstance, others become highly emotional. No one's needs are served in a discourse of this nature.