Programs & Initiatives | Calling the Police | Arresting Offenders
The mission of the NYPD is to enhance the quality of life in New York City by working in partnership with the community and, in accordance with constitutional rights, to enforce the laws, preserve the peace, reduce fear, and provide a safe environment.
1) Escape the abuse by providing referrals to safe places such as a shelter.
2) Arrange for a security survey of the victim’s home to address immediate security needs and arrange to have door locks changed for free.
3) Obtain an Order of Protection and then help to serve the Order on the abuser.
4) Gain access to supportive services such as counseling, healthcare and legal assistance through a citywide network of providers.
5) Develop a safety plan for home, work, and during a commute.
The mission of the NYPD is to enhance the quality of life in New York City by working in partnership with the community and, in accordance with constitutional rights, to enforce the laws, preserve the peace, reduce fear, and provide a safe environment.
In 1995, the NYPD created the Domestic Violence Unit to develop policies and programs to combat family violence. The Domestic Violence Unit coordinates the implementation of the NYPD’s domestic violence prevention strategy. The Domestic Violence Unit trains Domestic Violence Prevention Officers (DVPO) and Investigators, Training Sergeants, newly promoted Sergeants, Lieutenants and Captains, newly assigned recruits to the Housing Bureau, and members of public and private organizations. There are over 400 DVPOs and Domestic Violence Investigators in the City’s 76 police precincts and 9 Housing Police Service Areas. Every precinct has at least one specially trained DVPO.
Police agencies in New York State use a standardized Domestic Incident Report (DIR) form to record information about domestic incidents. The NYPD requires the filing of a DIR in every instance in which an officer responds to a potential domestic violence situation, even when no crime has occurred. DIRs are also generated through phone and walk-in complaints to local precincts.
The DIR contains information on the parties involved, the date, time, and place of the incident, observations by the police officers, and a summary of the incident. The form also includes an area for the victim to write a brief, sworn statement about the incident. This data is maintained by precincts and helps to identify patterns of domestic incidents. The information is entered into the Domestic Incident Report Database which links complaints, arrests, warrants, and pistol license systems together. It is also linked to the New York State Police Information Network (NYSPIN).
The NYPD operates special Domestic Violence Units in 32 model precincts, each with dedicated sergeants. The Domestic Violence Units are structured to further improve domestic violence-related investigations, increase arrests, and enhance support services for victims. These model precincts integrate the work of DVPOs, Crime Prevention Officers, Community Policing Officers, and Youth Police Officers to promote a seamless delivery of services and increased safety for victims. The Special Operations Lieutenant and a Captain at the Patrol Borough Command oversee the program.
The mission of the Domestic Violence Police Program (DVPP) is to provide support services and information about the criminal justice system to victims of domestic violence, foster collaborative relationships with community-based agencies, and assist in developing law enforcement strategies to reduce domestic violence.
The DVPP operates in 14 precincts and 9 Police Service Areas throughout New York City. The program unites a case manager from Safe Horizon with police officers who together provide social services and law enforcement intervention to families reporting domestic violence to the police. Clients are identified through police reports, and the teams offer help through letters, calls, and follow-up investigations in the home.
The NYPD has many initiatives in place to help victims of domestic violence. The following are highlights:
In October 2002, Mayor Bloomberg launched a new system that digitally records and indexes all calls made to the City’s 911 emergency response system. Clear and accurate recordings of 911 calls are now easily retrieved and made available to prosecutors almost immediately.
District Attorneys have been better able to prosecute cases because of these high quality digital recordings. Before this technology was implemented, it could take months to receive tapes of these calls. This innovation has resulted in better case assessments, the setting of bail more frequently at arraignment, and increased ability to conduct evidence-based prosecutions.
The Alternative to Shelter (ATS) Program allows victims of domestic violence the opportunity to remain safely in their own homes. Coordinated by the Human Resources Administration (HRA), ATS uses of state-of-the-art security technology and a coordinated response by the NYPD. In order to enroll in this program, the victim must have an Order of Protection, which excludes the batterer from the victim’s home. If you are interested in this program, please contact HRA at 212-331-4522.
The Community/Law Enforcement Collaboration to Combat Domestic Violence grant brought together representatives from the NYPD, the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence, and ten community-based organizations to increase awareness, encourage prevention, and improve the criminal justice response to domestic violence victims residing in diverse communities. Funded by the Department of Justice, this grant resulted in an enhanced training curriculum for police officers as well as a public education campaign addressing domestic violence in diverse communities.
