By Jyoti Thottam
Model Domestic Violence Teams will be expanded to four more Queens police precincts this year, doubling the number of precincts in the borough under the program, city officials said.
The program, which trains police officers to respond and follow up on domestic violence incidents, began in April 1999 in 17 precincts across the city. After tracking a 33 percent drop in homicides for those precincts, the city decided earlier this month to introduce the domestic violence teams to 15 more precincts in the city, including four in western and southeastern Queens.
“It's a successful program,” said Felicia Putter, chief of staff to City Councilman Sheldon Leffler (D-Hollis). “The councilman advocates for it to be in every precinct.”
The 105th Precinct, which stretches from Glen Oaks and Bellerose to Queens Village, Cambria Heights and parts of Laurelton, was one of the first precincts included in the Model Domestic Violence Program. Leffler represents most of the 105th Precinct.
With the expansion, the program will be extended to four new precincts in the borough: the 102nd, which serves Kew Gardens and Richmond Hill; the 103rd, serving Jamaica; the 104th, serving Ridgewood, Glendale, Maspeth and Middle Village; and the 114th, serving Long Island City and Astoria.
The program is already in place in the 110th Precinct, serving Corona and Elmhurst; the 113th, serving South Jamaica, St. Albans and part of Springfield Gardens; and the 115th, serving Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst.
“From what we know of the program, it seems to have a positive effect,” Putter said.
The domestic violence team includes a Domestic Violence Sergeant and Domestic Violence Police Officers in participating precincts. When radio calls come to the precincts, they may be assigned to the domestic violence officers if they are available. If other officers respond to the calls, the domestic violence officers will follow up to help victims find the resources available to them.
Within the 17 precincts included in the program, domestic violence homicides dropped 33 percent in 1999, home visits by police more than doubled, and domestic violence-related arrests by Domestic Violence Prevention Officers increased by 60 percent, according to statistics released by the mayor's office.
“We have been and are committed to reducing even further the number of people who fall victim to this crime,” said First Deputy Police Commissioner Patrick Kelleher.
While all police officers receive some training in the police academy on handling domestic violence calls, domestic violence officers receive much more extensive preparation.
Leffler advocates increased instruction for all police officers and reviewing the policy for choosing domestic violence officers who volunteer for the positions.
“It's a very delicate issue,” Putter said.
