Domestic Violence Reduction Program Begins In Central
District
May 13, 2008
The Mesa Police Department is dedicated to providing the type of
service that improves the safety and quality of life for Mesa
residents, businesses and visitors.
It is unfortunate that some of the crime committed in Mesa
involves domestic violence. The Mesa Police Department is well
aware of this reality and is approaching the problem in a
proactive manner by providing victims with educational
information related to domestic violence and support at the
scene of domestic violence incidents. You often hear the cliché,
“knowledge is power†and this is certainly true in situations of
domestic violence. Isolation from family and friends, the denial
to be employed, and threats of deportation are all very common
tactics used for controlling the information accessed by
victims. The Domestic Violence Reduction Pilot Project will be a
way of improving the knowledge and power of a victim. It is
often said that a person will leave a violent relationship 7 to
8 times before permanently leaving the potentially deadly
situation.
The program began in the Central Patrol Division on May 1, 2008.
The Domestic Violence Reduction Pilot Program will work towards
addressing situations involving domestic violence at an earlier
stage, in hopes of reducing recidivism and the likelihood of
more violent crimes in the future. The Mesa Police Department's
Victim Assistance Volunteer Program requires a volunteer to
complete approximately 40 hours of training in a variety of
areas and will continue to support all types of victims in all
areas of Mesa. The Domestic Violence Reduction Pilot Project
will be made available to other patrol districts as the number
of volunteers in the Victim Assistance Program increases.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence,
information and support can be accessed by contacting “A New
Leaf†East Valley Crisis Hotline at (480) 835-5555 or (800)
799-7739.
If you are interested in volunteering with the Mesa Police
Department's Victim Assistance Program or have questions about
the Project, please contact Amy Martinez, Victim Assistance
Volunteer Coordinator at (480) 644-4025.