Law enforcement officers have new tool to evaluate, get help for victims of domestic violence

Titania Richmond describes a nice relationship leading to engagement and wedding plans, until two nights before she was scheduled to be married.

"The first punch to the left side of my face as I was sitting on the couch," she said.

"I thought was going to be the last day of my life. I didn't think I was gonna live that day."

She lived through it, and says she was too scared to run or call off the wedding. The two got married and started a cycle of beatings followed by visits from law enforcement.

"He feels like he can get in and out of jail on bond any time. He even said several times, 'I don't care if you call the cops,'" Richmond said.

She says she's often felt like a burden to those who responded to her calls for help.

"I even had one officer say, 'Why do you let him back in?'" she said.

Officers and deputies in North Carolina will now be encouraged to take a different path when responding to incidents like this.

The North Carolina Department of Justice is training law enforcement in the Lethality Assessment Protocol (LAP). The idea is to reduce the number of domestic violence incidents that lead to more violent encounters and even homicide. At least 44 people this year in North Carolina have died as a result of a domestic violence homicide.

"When law enforcement goes to the scene of a domestic dispute there's a questionnaire," said North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein.

"Depending on what the responses are, and these are social science determined questions, if the score hits a trigger, they will immediately call the domestic service provider and connect that person and the service provider to try to get the victim out of a dangerous situation and into services."

LAP requires a partnership between law enforcement and local social services and is a direct connection. In the past officers would often offer a brochure with a list of services. Now they will make the phone call right away, with the hopes of reducing the risk for the victim.

"You can't make them go see a service provider, but it can really make a difference, a difference of life or death," Stein said.

The protocol also allows law enforcement to take a step that can be hard for the victim.

"What a lot of people don't understand with victims is we see that other side to our perpetrators, and it's so easy for us to take them back," said Richmond who is separated from her husband and waiting on a court date.

The Lethality Assessment Protocol is being used in five North Carolina counties right now including Wake, Durham, Alamance, Mecklenburg and Buncombe.

Stein is hoping he can get the program into more counties soon.