Best Practice Assessment of Emergency Communications (911) & Police Patrol Responses to Domestic Violence

This Best Practice assessment guide has been designed to assist emergency communications (911), police patrol services, and CCRs in answering such questions. A companion guide outlines a similar process for examining police follow-up investigations and prosecution charging decisions. This guide is not the only tool available, and may not be the best fit for your agency or community, as we will address shortly. It draws on the accumulated experience of many communities, particularly those that have completed a Safety and Accountability Audit (Safety Audit) of 911 and patrol responses over the last fifteen years. It reflects an analysis of criminal justice system reforms related to domestic violence and the sometimes unintended negative consequences of those reforms. It distills that information into specific guidelines for practice in the crucial first steps in the criminal justice system’s response to domestic violence–related crimes: 911 calls and the on-scene patrol response.