ALBANY, N.Y. — New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced new state guidelines for law enforcement agencies who respond to domestic violence incidents.
The state’s Law Enforcement Domestic Incident Model Policy outlines best practices for police officers that would ensure the safety of both the victims and the officers when they respond to calls. The policy also helps people find services and support, and preserve evidence if a crime has been committed.
"I'm committed to leading an administration that treats survivors with dignity and respect," Governor Hochul said in a press release. “This is personal to me: my mother was a lifelong advocate for victims of domestic abuse, and our family founded a transitional home for survivors in Western New York. These actions build on my administration's ongoing commitment to help survivors and provide them with the resources, support and information they need to recover and rebuild."
State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV) Executive Director Kelli Owens and Safe Horizon Chief Executive Officer Liz Roberts joined Governor Hochul for the roundtable discussion, information from which will inform her administration’s future policies to address domestic and gender-based violence. The goal is to build on the Governor’s establishment of a new flexible funding stream for survivor resources in the FY24 Budget, which also included $5 million in local assistance funding for OPDV to provide direct financial assistance to victims and survivors of domestic violence. October is marked in New York State and the nation as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
In addition, $1 million to expand the state's Red Flag law in partner and gender-based violence and provide training and assistance to organizations that can help file the proper paperwork to remove any weapons.
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