Advocating With Police Departments

Advocate's Role

While Life Span primarily works with Chicago and suburban Cook County victims of police domestic violence, victims and advocates from around the country contact us for advice and support. One of the great difficulties in addressing their questions is the diversity of law enforcement agencies. Urban and rural, state, federal, and local government, they range in size from a few officers to thousands of officers. What works with one department may not work with another.

Being a victim in a large city is worlds apart from being a victim in a small town or rural area. Counseling and advocacy require different approaches. Each domestic violence agency is faced with the task of responding to the needs of the victims in their specific community, and determining whether they are able to work cooperatively with their local law enforcement agency.

Domestic battery is a criminal offense. An officer convicted of domestic battery is prohibited by federal law from possessing a weapon, whether on or off duty. When an officer is accused of domestic battery, several players become involved in the case, and it is important that the advocate educate the victim on each player's role. Each player will look at the case from the perspective of that role. For example:

Police administrators are concerned with the department's responsibility to protect the victim, but also consider liability issues from their perspective as the officer's employer. The department may be invested in either saving or terminating an officer's career, depending on many factors.

The abuser's fellow officers may be responsible for the victim's safety, but also have a strong sense of loyalty to protect the abuser's and their own careers.

The prosecutor is concerned with fulfilling the requirements for building a case that will win a conviction, but may at the same time may have political reasons for being reluctant to prosecute a member of law enforcement.

Members of the community are alarmed that an abuser may be responding to domestic violence calls and that officers are above the law.

The advocate is there solely to provide information and to support the victim in making informed decisions according to their own best interest. To do this, the advocate must be familiar with the policies and attitudes of the players in the local criminal justice system.

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Advocate's Role