Every officer has been there: The dispatcher calls out for someone to take a domestic violence call, only to meet with silence over the radio as officers hope someone else will volunteer. A few officers coincidentally log themselves out on extra patrols, special assignments, or meal breaks. Others scramble to find something else to do that they could argue takes precedence.
Apart from a rape or decomposing body, domestic violence calls are often one of the least favorite calls for officers to handle. Domestic violence investigations are much different than any other type of police investigation. The intrinsic difficulties of domestic situations, especially recurring ones, can be stressful on officers who enjoy more clear-cut calls for service. Here are ways officers can be better prepared for these calls for service.