Respondents in our annual survey always list Traffic as their number one public safety concern. A colleague of mine once called it the little red sports car phenomena, because that little red car is in your face every time it speeds up and down your street.
Not true with domestic violence. It happens in the privacy of the home or it is a problem people frequently choose to ignore. Every so often, a tragic case, like the Pamela Powers homicide, will give us pause to consider the issue of domestic violence and our role in preventing victimization.
In a previous blog on crime statistics, I mentioned that our domestic violence offenses increased significantly in the first six months of 2009. From January to the middle of November, domestic violence is up well over 30%. Domestic related aggravated assaults jumped from six in 2008 to 14 in 2009 for the same time period.
When we examine the recent domestic violence related murder of Pamela Powers, it is important to note the chain of events that occurred. Since December of 2008, there were eight police reports involving Pamela Powers and Christopher Sharpe. We can see a developing trend that began with verbal arguments and harassing phone calls, which then escalated to a simple battery and a felony battery.
One of the biggest challenges in the fight against domestic violence is first identifying those who need and will benefit from the many programs and interventions that are available. Although one out of four women will be a victim of domestic violence in her lifetime, it is widely known that most incidents of family violence are not reported to the police. Hiding or minimizing the problem is common and occurs for a variety of reasons, including fear, embarrassment and denial.
Victims of domestic violence often feel trapped in a vicious cycle, unable to break free from their abusive partners. That is why police officers and victim advocates push for domestic violence injunctions. Additionally, prosecution often occurs without the cooperation of the victim.
There are a multitude of programs and services available to domestic violence victims, so they can start to build a life away from their violent partners. Our victim advocate can help victims with safety planning, shelter, financial assistance, victim compensation, court appearances, and emotional support.
There are two domestic violence shelters in Palm Beach County that offer safe havens for emergency situations, as well as transitional housing that allows families to begin a new life in a low cost and safe environment. Counseling, support groups and therapy can be accessed through Palm Beach County Victim Services. Legal aid and other supportive special services for victims are offered throughout the state by many agencies.
As the Pamela Powers case demonstrated, arrests are not always the most effective interventions. Other people are typically aware of what is happening and miss opportunities to make a difference. We all have an obligation to be involved in order to get victims (and their children) the help and support that they need to change their lives. Law enforcement members stand ready to assist and the following resources are available in our community.
Important Numbers
Boca Raton Police Department Victim Advocate
561-338-1317
Palm Beach County Victim Services
1-866-891-7273
Shelters:
Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse (AVDA)
561-265-2900
YWCA Harmony House
561-640-0050
Florida Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-500-1119
A special thanks to Boca Raton Police Victim Advocate Maureen Francois, who was the primary contributor to this piece.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Better Focus
34 people. Five sessions. Priceless feedback.
We have made a number of changes to our communication strategy over the past year and it was time to get some constructive criticism. Hence, we scheduled five days of focus groups, subjecting members to everything from signs and brochures to website designs and prevention programs.
True, there was a wide range of opinions from folks using very different frames of reference, but there were some common themes and observations which will clearly help us refine how we engage, connect, and communicate. I apologize for the almost bullet-like synopsis, but there is just too much to cover in so little space.
Confusion
VIPER is a relevant and sound community policing strategy, but some people don’t get it. We have to do a better job of explaining the concept on the web, in printed material and on the street.
We also recognize that it is time to consolidate the bocaviper.com and bocapolice.com websites. The future site, currently under development, will bring both VIPER material and information about the Department to one location.
Participants also expressed some confusion about Crime Watch and the Police Department. Crime Watch is a separate entity and we do very little cross-marketing to highlight how our missions are inextricably linked. Crime Watch is a valued partner and we will do more to support their work.
Web Presence
Opinions varied on the look of the current bocaviper.com site. While some didn’t like the site’s appearance, others favored it over examples we provided which were reportedly “touristy.” We will continue to use the black and gold colors to be consistent, with some variations resulting from a review of other popular sites.
Group members appreciated the communication resources available to them on the site. We will better emphasize these tools up front.
The feedback on video content was excellent. We will be shortening the videos we produce for the web and will seek to move longer segments to more appropriate media, such as our cable access channel. People enjoyed seeing solved cases and asked for more content about issues which are more of concern to them.
General Observations
Aggressive and authoritarian (“DON’T_______!”) communication or marketing strategies do not resonate well. Protective themes and educational messages have greater impact. Also, data isn’t enough. Respondents wanted us to include a specific call for action whenever possible.
Participants liked the bold look of our signs, but want to see “police” and our non-emergency telephone number emphasized more frequently.
Nothing can replace the face-to-face. People want a personal connection with Department members, more so at the street level. Whenever possible, we will be involving officers more frequently in neighborhood meetings and other events.
Not too many departments are using focus groups to challenge their communication models. I credit our public information staff and, particularly, Erica Reuter for developing and executing this process. It’s a living, breathing animal, so I look forward to seeing how it evolves in the future. Thank you to all who participated.
We have made a number of changes to our communication strategy over the past year and it was time to get some constructive criticism. Hence, we scheduled five days of focus groups, subjecting members to everything from signs and brochures to website designs and prevention programs.
True, there was a wide range of opinions from folks using very different frames of reference, but there were some common themes and observations which will clearly help us refine how we engage, connect, and communicate. I apologize for the almost bullet-like synopsis, but there is just too much to cover in so little space.
Confusion
VIPER is a relevant and sound community policing strategy, but some people don’t get it. We have to do a better job of explaining the concept on the web, in printed material and on the street.
We also recognize that it is time to consolidate the bocaviper.com and bocapolice.com websites. The future site, currently under development, will bring both VIPER material and information about the Department to one location.
Participants also expressed some confusion about Crime Watch and the Police Department. Crime Watch is a separate entity and we do very little cross-marketing to highlight how our missions are inextricably linked. Crime Watch is a valued partner and we will do more to support their work.
Web Presence
Opinions varied on the look of the current bocaviper.com site. While some didn’t like the site’s appearance, others favored it over examples we provided which were reportedly “touristy.” We will continue to use the black and gold colors to be consistent, with some variations resulting from a review of other popular sites.
Group members appreciated the communication resources available to them on the site. We will better emphasize these tools up front.
The feedback on video content was excellent. We will be shortening the videos we produce for the web and will seek to move longer segments to more appropriate media, such as our cable access channel. People enjoyed seeing solved cases and asked for more content about issues which are more of concern to them.
General Observations
Aggressive and authoritarian (“DON’T_______!”) communication or marketing strategies do not resonate well. Protective themes and educational messages have greater impact. Also, data isn’t enough. Respondents wanted us to include a specific call for action whenever possible.
Participants liked the bold look of our signs, but want to see “police” and our non-emergency telephone number emphasized more frequently.
Nothing can replace the face-to-face. People want a personal connection with Department members, more so at the street level. Whenever possible, we will be involving officers more frequently in neighborhood meetings and other events.
Not too many departments are using focus groups to challenge their communication models. I credit our public information staff and, particularly, Erica Reuter for developing and executing this process. It’s a living, breathing animal, so I look forward to seeing how it evolves in the future. Thank you to all who participated.
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