Intimate Partner Violence Intervention and the WPS
Chief Danny Smyth
Domestic disputes, domestic violence, and what is often referred to as Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) dominate the workload of most general patrol units. This week Tried & True explores the dynamics and challenges of IPV through the experiences of Sergeant Shane Wepruk, a seasoned investigator and Domestic Violence Intervention Coordinator. He introduces a pilot project that focuses on violence prevention through a partnership between Domestic Violence Support Services and the WPS.
Several years ago a group of ranking police officers and several academics came together to discuss Intimate Partner Violence practices developed in different Canadian communities, to enhance collaboration, and to create synergy at the national level. Think Tank participants agreed that a unified police response to IPV in Canada, including consistent terminology and common application of the law, is critical to enhancing the national response to this issue. The Think Tank, which included participation from the Winnipeg Police Service was the first step towards the creation of a working group of experts who developed a national framework for collaborative police action on IPV.
This work is endorsed by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) through the National Framework for Collaborative Police Action on Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), to better inform policy and collaborative action to keep individuals, families and communities safe.
https://cacp.ca/crime-prevention-committee.html?asst_id=1200
An individual who chokes their partner is seven times more likely to commit domestic violence-related homicide… recognize the signs of Intimate Partner Violence
Sergeant Shane Wepruk
Domestic Violence Intervention Coordinator
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is recognized as a universal issue. It knows no boundaries and has no regard for socio-economic status or culture; it is found in every corner of every community and affects everyone directly or indirectly. The community has challenged law enforcement to be trauma-informed and utilize a victim-centred approach when investigating IPV and the Winnipeg Police Service has evolved to meet the demands of the community.
Domestic Violence investigations are inherently complex, and each situation is different. Domestic incidents are among the most frequently dispatched calls for service. In Winnipeg, nearly 18,000 domestic calls for service are generated; approximately 2,000 of those calls are criminal in nature.
Darkest hours can be stressful and take their toll, however helping people navigate tumultuous waters is some of the most rewarding work that I have been involved with.
Intimate Partner Violence investigations can be highly challenging. Policy governs the actions of the police, which is dictated by the Criminal Code. In essence, when police have reasonable grounds to believe that an offence occurred in an intimate partner relationship, an arrest will be made with or without the victim's cooperation. This policy takes the cycle of violence into account and in theory, removes the burden from the victim when it comes to laying charges. Approximately two-thirds of the time, victims do not want the relationship to end, they just want the violence to stop.
People come to the place in their lives via many different roads, some rockier than others. Above everything else, empathy and compassion need to be employed when helping an individual navigate these tricky waters. Trust and rapport are developed through genuine caring interactions with victims. Assisting them to find the best route to end the cycle of violence in their particular circumstances is ultimately everyone's goal. Sometimes arresting and charging someone criminally is the only way to break the cycle of violence. Sometimes investigative discretion and diverting people to programs to help support them through personal issues like substance abuse or anger management provide alternative ways to break the cycle.
Many people think that victims of intimate partner violence should just leave the relationship. This is a simplistic view of often a terribly complex situation. I have interviewed hundreds of individuals over the years, and I can attest, that it is never that straightforward. There are a plethora of reasons a survivor will remain in an abusive relationship: love, children, housing, culture, fear of judgement from community and peers and finances are all factors that impact an individual's decision to stay or leave.
Sometimes people involved with intimate partner violence are reluctant to disclose what they have experienced because they legitimately do not want the other person arrested. This reality introduces an additional challenge because investigators may have a strong suspicion that criminal offences have been committed; however, without victim disclosure, or other evidence, an arrest or diversion is not possible. These are opportunities to focus on safety planning and access to resources/supports for the victims.
In January 2021, the Winnipeg Police Service embarked on a pilot project in partnership with Domestic Violence Support Services with Manitoba Justice. This pilot addresses recommendations derived from the Harvard Bloomberg study, which suggests that the WPS looks for alternatives to address non-urgent domestic calls for service.
The pilot project focuses on prevention by providing support and intervention before they become victims of violence. This project allows individuals involved in these complex domestic-related situations to get advice, guidance and direction on services required to support them and their families through these complicated situations. The pilot teams consist of sworn WPS members partnered with a victim services worker from Domestic Violence Support Services.
The team screen calls for service that is queued for dispatch and diverts the calls out of the queue where people only need advice and direction. General patrol members are still dispatched to calls where victim safety is at immediate risk. The diverted callers are afforded the opportunity to speak with a Police officer and victim services worker during the same call. The caller is provided timely access to resources and supports at the time as opposed to receiving referrals that can take more time. This integrated multi-agency response utilizes a best practice model, providing people with what they need and when they need it most to reduce the likelihood of escalation.
The vast majority of these calls are closed, requiring no additional follow-up, which is a relief to callers knowing that uniform members will not be attending to their homes. On the rare occasion that follow-up is required, the specialty Domestic Violence Unit investigators are typically tasked, consistent with best practices and providing support to uniform operations.
The first year of the pilot had initial success and was extended for a second year, providing opportunities to evolve and elevate the services being offered further. Virtual police response is one of the platforms that have enabled remote interaction with police officers and victim service workers. (VPR video link here).
The importance of community partnerships can involve the development of a personal safety plan in collaboration with Domestic Violence Support Services, the Crown’s Office, the WPS and the Manitoba Association of Women’s Shelters. Safe housing can be secured for the abused partner and any children, with a police escort to safe housing is needed. This can take a huge weight off an abused person’s shoulders and their family when a home is no longer a safe place.
A new law to help victims and police alike in other jurisdictions is Clare’s Law.
Clare’s Law, known as the Interpersonal Violence Disclosure Protocol (Clare’s Law) Act in Saskatchewan and the Disclosure to Protect Against Domestic Violence (Clare’s Law) Act in Alberta, authorizes a police service to disclose certain risk-related information to a current or former intimate partner where such information will assist the current or former partner in making informed decisions about their safety and relationship.
First implemented in England and Wales in 2014, Clare’s Law is named after Clare Wood, a woman who was murdered in England by a former domestic partner who police knew to be dangerous. Clare’s partner had seriously abused women in the past and served three prison sentences before his relationship with her. Following her death, Clare’s family stated that she would not have entered into the relationship had she known of his violent past.
Clare’s law has two main elements: a ‘right to ask’, which allows members of the public, including a domestic partner, to request information from the police about a potential abuser; and a ‘right to know’, which, in certain circumstances, permits police to disclose such information to the public on their own initiative.
A request for information can be made by a person who feels they may be at risk of harm by a current or former intimate partner. A third party who is concerned about someone’s safety may also make an application on behalf of the person at risk, with or without their consent. This third party includes someone who has a close personal relationship with the person at risk, such as a parent, sibling, friend or support worker.
In the 2019 Speech from the Throne the Government announced it would be implementing ‘Clare’s Law’ in Manitoba. The intention of the law is to ensure that women in Manitoba can access information about their partner’s past history of domestic violence and empowering women to leave potentially abusive situations.
Intimate partner violence presents other challenges as well. Sometimes it involves helping individuals understand that they are at risk of violence. Other times it may be helping individuals understand that they are living in an abusive relationship and the danger associated with the relationship. An individual who chokes their partner is seven times more likely to commit domestic violence-related homicide. Despite the statistics and research that support risk assessment, many survivors do not see things that way because violence and abuse have become the norm.
Restorative Justice approaches have also been considered for minor IPV offences. Offenders who meet specific criteria are arrested and released on an undertaking with conditions prohibiting contact and communication with the victim. The offender is placed in programming within the community to address the issues that they are struggling with. The restorative approach utilizes the “sooner is safer” philosophy, placing offenders in programming when they need it most, at the time that they are struggling. Additionally, the Restorative Justice Centre completes an assessment of each offender and customizes programming to suit their needs. The programming is comprehensive and demands that the offender be a willing participant. If the offender completes programming within four months, criminal charges are not laid, and protective conditions are removed, allowing families to reconcile and co-habituate.
Providing the resources needed with strategic timing are driving factors represented by the program's success. This program is victim-driven and empowering; empowerment is not something that survivors of IPV are typically accustomed to.
I believe in the program and have witnessed the program succeed countless times. The WPS is the only law enforcement agency utilizing this pre-charge diversion model, which has garnered the attention of law enforcement across Canada and the United States due to its effectiveness.