Program targets domestic violence

Las Vegas police have a number of weapons in their crime-fighting arsenal.

They've added a new one to help valley residents who have been hurt by those closest to them: a questionnaire.

A six-month pilot program was launched in late February in two of the Metropolitan Police Department's area commands. Its goal is to identify domestic violence victims at risk of repeated beatings or being killed and get them professional help.

The Domestic Violence Lethality Assessment Program is being tested in the Enterprise and Northwest area commands. Domestic violence accounted for more than one-third of the 131 homicides in the department's jurisdiction in 2008.

That's more than the homicides attributed to gang or dispute-driven killings.

Las Vegas police Capt. Vincent Cannito said the program is meant to save lives.

"The hope is they'll get counseling and realize the severity of the situation they're in," Cannito said of domestic violence victims. "Abusers don't change their patterns just because they get arrested. Abusers don't change their patterns just because they've seen the blood they caused from the beatings."

Cannito said that when officers in either of the area commands respond to a domestic violence call, a survey with 11 questions is given to the victim. It asks:

• Has the aggressor ever used a weapon against you?

• Does he or she spy on you or leave threatening messages?

• Does he or she have a gun?

If the victim answers yes to any question about being threatened with a weapon, police, with permission from the victim, immediately contact Safe Nest, a nonprofit shelter and advocacy group against domestic violence.

Cannito said if victims answer yes to three or more questions, they might need professional help. The pilot program is modeled on similar programs in Maryland.

"We're not trying to dictate how people live their lives," Cannito said. "We're trying to identify those most at risk for severe injury or death."

The Enterprise Area Command in the southwest Las Vegas Valley was chosen for the pilot program because it had 12 domestic-violence related homicides last year, the most among the department's eight area commands. The Enterprise area is roughly south of Charleston Boulevard and west of Interstate 15.

The Northwest Area Command, which covers the area north of Charleston and roughly west of Decatur Boulevard, was chosen to participate in the program because it borders the Enterprise region, Cannito said.

In the month since the pilot program started, statistics within the two area commands have been strikingly similar.

For example, of the 103 reported victims of domestic abuse in the Enterprise area, 36 percent told police someone at home attempted to strangle them. In the Northwest area, that figure was 34 percent of 70 reported cases.

Four victims in the Enterprise area sought a temporary protective order against their aggressor. Three people in the Northwest area did the same, police said.

Cannito said 11 reported victims in the Enterprise region immediately agreed to seek help from Safe Nest. Nine reported victims in the Northwest area did the same.

Cannito said victim advocates followed up with those who initially refused help from Safe Nest, and 50 percent of them showed a later interest in getting help, he said.

Cannito said that makes sense because the victims have had time to reflect on the violence they experienced.

"The fight is over. Police aren't on their doorsteps or (in) their living rooms," he said. "They are willing to listen to what victims' advocates have to say."

Kathleen Brooks, associate director of Safe Nest, said 80 percent of domestic violence victims never call police or seek professional help.

Brooks, who was beaten by her boyfriend for two years when she was a teenager, said victims are usually afraid of the repercussions of asking for help.

"They want the violence to stop," Brooks said. "But they don't call out of fear. They don't call out of shame."

Safe Nest provides shelter for victims and counsels them for "as long as it takes," she said. Safe Nest also has programs to counsel first-time and repeat offenders convicted of charges related to domestic violence.

About 83,000 people from throughout the county sought help through Safe Nest last year, Brooks said.

She added that she hopes the program will have a positive impact because police are asking victims the right questions.

"That is the critical point that makes the difference," she said. "I applaud officers for asking the questions because many (victims) would say, 'Nobody ever asked me.'"

Cannito said the pilot program is one of several new efforts meant to curb violence at home. Another pilot program is aimed at identifying chronic runaways who were abused by their parents or guardians. Police also are supporting a bill in the Legislature that would make choking a felony.

"If it's predictable, it's preventable," Cannito said.

Betsy Laney, a psychologist with The Farm, a nonprofit group that offers victims of domestic violence counseling in Fremont, Mich., said the Las Vegas police program is unique and a definite positive.

Laney's only concern was whether police were giving victims the questionnaires in front of their attackers. Cannito said that was not the case.

Laney said the program will go a long way toward earning the public's trust.

"It will go a distance in helping tear down some people's ideas of law enforcement as something to be feared."

Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.