For the past three years, Rose Brooks Center has led an effort to address domestic violence crime in Kansas City – a first for its kind. And for the past three years, entities like Rose Brooks Center, the Kansas City Police Department, Municipal Court, Probation and Parole, and the Detention Center have all met monthly to review and create new policies and practices to ensure that Kansas City’s response to domestic violence crimes keeps victims safe and holds offenders accountable.
At a press conference on September 28th, announcing the launch of this incredible achievement, Annie Struby, Rose Brooks Center’s Blueprint Coordinator, thanked those who made this Blueprint for Safety possible: “To the many brave domestic violence survivors who shared their stories with us and participated in focus groups, thank you. Your stories will make the system work better for future domestic violence survivors.”
The end result is a single document with a chapter for each agency within the criminal justice system. Next, Rose Brooks will lead training efforts across each agency to ensure complete implementation – further solidifying its role of victim advocacy.
The following are just two of the highlights of the policy and procedure changes:
- Within KCPD, patrol officers will now ask the victim additional risk questions at the scene. These risk questions will help others in the system understand the context and seriousness of the violence occurring in the relationship.
- The bench within Kansas City Municipal Court will have access to more information about each case, which will help make appropriate decisions for offenders and help keep victims safer.
To read more about the Kansas City Blueprint for Safety:
www.rosebrooks.org/about-rosebrooks/news-headlines