The landscape of law enforcement is constantly evolving. Given this dynamic context, IACP's agency self-assessment and accompanying community assessment are useful tools for thinking critically about current practices and identifying areas of strength and opportunities to update and enhance services. Information gleaned from these assessments enables law enforcement leaders to candidly and thoughtfully evaluate their practices and policies to create stronger responses to reports of domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking, and strangulation 

To access the assessments and related resources, click here. 

These tip sheets provide strategies for enhancing your agency’s response to domestic and sexual violence by focusing on key areas such as agency mission, the role of supervisors, and collaboration with local partners. 

10 Things to Know: Enhancing Law Enforcement Response to Domestic and Sexual Violence 

Agency Mission, Vision, and Values: Supporting a Trauma-Informed, Victim-Inclusive, and Offender-Focused Agency

Five Things Supervisors Can Do

Gaining Buy-In, Building Trust, and Operationalizing Values

Six-Step Process: Enhancing Law Enforcement Response to Domestic and Sexual Violence 

Critical Need for Law Enforcement Agencies to Identify Gender Bias in Responses to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence: Chief Tom Tremblay (Ret.) and Dave Thomas of the IACP outline the concept of gender bias, and its potential impact on agency responses to reports of sexual assault and domestic violence. 

Witness Intimidation: Lt. Mark Wynn (Ret.) leads a discussion on what law enforcement needs to know about witness intimidation when working on crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault, strangulation, and stalking.  

Removal of Weapons and Firearms from the Hands of DV Offenders:  Chief Deputy John Guard, from the Pitt Count, NC, Sheriff’s Office, discusses what law enforcement needs to know about the removal of weapons and firearms from the hands of perpetrators of domestic and sexual violence.   

Engaging Colleges in Data Collection Recording: Corporal Angela Weekes, with the Nampa Police Department (ID), discusses how police departments can engage colleges and universities in data collection efforts that can, in turn, strengthen law enforcement response to crimes of domestic and sexual violence. 

Law Enforcement and Building Trust with LGBTQI+ Communities: Sergeant Denise Jones, with the Clark County Sheriff's Office (OH), discusses how police departments can build trust with LGBTQI+ communities in their jurisdiction in order to increase the reporting of crimes of domestic and sexual violence in such minority groups. 

Interactions with the Media: Chief Fred Fletcher (ret.), from the Chattanooga Police Department (TN), discusses how police departments can work with the media to deliver victim-centered and trauma-informed messaging to the community, while also utilizing the media to highlight agency successes around responding to crimes of domestic and sexual violence. 

Vicarious Trauma Webinar Series - Part 1 - Officers and Vicarious Trauma When Responding to Domestic and Sexual Violence: Sergeant Chris Scallon (ret.), Norfolk Police Department (VA), Lisa Tieszen M.A., LICSW, and Katherine Manners M.Ed., LMFT discuss the work-related trauma exposure that officers often experience when responding to cases of domestic violence and sexual assault, what individuals working on these crimes can do to take care of their mental health and wellbeing in order to mitigate the negative effects of this secondary trauma, and what agencies can do to support their employees who are experiencing vicarious trauma due to responding to these cases.  

Vicarious Trauma Webinar Series - Part 2 - Individual Strategies to Address Vicarious Trauma: Sergeant Chris Scallon (ret.), Norfolk Police Department (VA), Lisa Tieszen M.A., LICSW, and Katherine Manners M.Ed., LMFT discuss the work-related trauma exposure that officers often experience when responding to cases of domestic violence and sexual assault, what individuals working on these crimes can do to take care of their mental health and wellbeing in order to mitigate the negative effects of this secondary trauma, and what agencies can do to support their employees who are experiencing vicarious trauma due to responding to these cases. 

Vicarious Trauma Webinar Series  - Part 3 - We’re All in this Together: Building Organizational Strategies to Address VT: Sergeant Chris Scallon (ret.), Norfolk Police Department (VA), Lisa Tieszen M.A., LICSW, and Katherine Manners M.Ed., LMFT discuss the work-related trauma exposure that officers often experience when responding to cases of domestic violence and sexual assault, what individuals working on these crimes can do to take care of their mental health and wellbeing in order to mitigate the negative effects of this secondary trauma, and what agencies can do to support their employees.