On Saturday August 22nd two local police departments, Lee’s Summit and Raytown, were recognized with the Barbara Potts Award* from Hope House. Each department has taken the lead in recognizing that domestic violence is a community problem that we all must work together for the common goal of safety for all citizens. Both the Lee’s Summit and Raytown Police Departments formed domestic violence units with one detective in 1997. Now, over a decade later, Lee’s Summit has expanded to two detectives who continue to operate and work collaboratively with Hope House. Both departments understand the seriousness of the crime of domestic violence and have contributed to the change in culture in how victims are treated and abusers are held accountable.
Even with the loss of federal funding for the domestic violence detectives, both departments have remained committed to combating the issue and have self-funded the detectives in order to keep the units operational. Both departments are instrumental in leading the Coordinated Community Councils in their cities and bringing the community together to not only to address the issue but to break the cycle of abuse.
In early 2009 both departments initiated a pilot project called the Lethality Assessment Project. They did so despite the lack of funding and the extra work required of the police officer responding to the scene. Through the project police are responding to the scene of a domestic violence incident with a more comprehensive approach to working with victims. They have tools to recognize the level of danger for the victims, serious danger is being identified earlier and safer options are provided, thus fewer victims will be seriously injured or die in our communities as a result of domestic violence.
“Hope House is proud to honor the Lee’s Summit and Raytown Police Departments with the Barbara Potts Award” says MaryAnne Metheny, CEO & President of Hope House, “We are extremely grateful for the partnership we have with them in working together to break the cycle of domestic violence”.
*Former Mayor of Independence Barbara Potts was instrumental in the forming of Hope House. Under her guidance and community grass roots efforts Hope House “opened” for business at midnight on January 1, 1983.