Chicago Police To Get Special Training On Responding To Domestic Violence Calls

Chicago police will receive specialized "state-of-the-art" training on how to handle domestic abuse calls under a new inter-governmental task force plan aimed at curbing domestic violence.

The CPD's enhanced training will include three main components incorporating several different agencies, ABC Chicago reports: E-learning to "refresh prior instruction," officer training done in conjunction with the Cook County State's Attorney's office to boost accuracy and detail of case reporting and police training about the psychological and emotional effects of violence from the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women's network and the Department of Family and Support Services.

The CPD answers approximately 200,000 domestic calls each year, between 30 to 40 of which result in homicides, according to WGN.

(Read the Chicago Police Department's Domestic Violence Safety Plan.)

Officials including Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez, members of the Chicago Police Department and the Department of Family and Support Services were on hand to announce the creation of the task force Tuesday.

“Victims of domestic violence often suffer silently, and many remain in a cycle of violence for years, afraid to reach out or unsure of where to look for help,” said Mayor Emanuel. “It’s our job to help break this cycle and this task force will prioritize law enforcement training and develop strategies to detect high-risk incidents and intervene with quality services before it’s too late.”

According to a statement from the mayor's office, the specialized training for CPD officers is one of the three specific goals of the task force. In addition, the task force aims to develop "a more proactive law enforcement response to high-risk domestic violence incidents" and increase services for domestic violence victims and their families.

Just last week, Vice President Joe Biden came to Chicago to break ground on the city's first new new domestic violence shelter of its kind of 10 years.

A survivor of domestic violence herself, Ald. Deborah Graham (29th) was also on hand for the announcement telling CBS Chicago, “Today, folks will be trained on how to handle the calls. They will be sensitive to the individuals calling. They will be coordinated services."