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NEWS RELEASE: April 26, 2011

New Report Shows Widely Differing Practices for Removing Firearms in Domestic Violence Cases in Rhode Island

Model law enforcement policy guarantees standard level of safety across state

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, April 26, 2011
CONTACT: Chris Wilhite at RICADV, (401) 467-9940; Cell: (401) 829-2564

Firearms[Providence, RI] Today, the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence released a new report and model policy for law enforcement to help standardize policies for firearms seizure when officers respond to domestic violence calls. The report, Domestic Violence and Firearms: A Model Protocol, illustrates how practices differ widely across police departments in Rhode Island.

“In Rhode Island, when officers respond to a domestic violence call, there are widely differing practices when it comes to if, when and how to remove firearms from the situation,” said Deborah DeBare, executive director of the RICADV. “What that means is that a victim of domestic violence in one part of the state is not guaranteed the same safety as a victim in another.”

The report shows that 13% of departments in Rhode Island have no clear policy for removing firearms in domestic violence situations. Of the remaining departments 20% remove the weapons regardless of arrest, 33% remove the weapons only if an arrest is made, 24% rely on the responding officer’s individual judgment of the situation, and 10% remove the weapons only if used to threaten a victim.

“The Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association supports this model policy and will work with the RICADV and the Firearms Taskforce to apply it to current practice across all departments in Rhode Island,” said Sergeant Dennis Leahey of the Burrillville Police Department speaking on behalf of the RI Police Chiefs Association. Sgt Leahey served on the Firearms Taskforce to develop this report.

The model policy being released today is the product of four years of work by the Firearms and Domestic Violence Task Force, which included members of Rhode Island Family Court, the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General, the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“Firearms and domestic violence are a deadly combination.  It affects our schools, our communities, and our safety. It is in everyone’s interest to promote prevention, hold batterers accountable and provide security for those in need,” said Attorney General Peter Kilmartin.  “As Attorney General, I pledge to build upon the great work the task force has completed to continue to improve communication among law enforcement and the community and look for ways to modernize the RONCO database.”

The Office of Attorney General has worked for decades with the RICADV and our law enforcement partners to develop a series of best practices and model protocols to increase safety for domestic violence victims and police officers who respond to domestic violence incidents.  

Advocates have always known that the presence of firearms drastically increases the potential lethality of a domestic violence situation, but the data to demonstrate this finally exists. Exactly 50 percent of the domestic violence deaths in Rhode Island since 1980 have been caused by firearms. The presence of firearms greatly increases the danger not just for domestic violence victims, but also for bystanders – of the 31 domestic violence attacks resulting in multiple deaths, only 4 of those were not committed with guns.  

“I commend the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence for their new report and their efforts to improve how law enforcement officials deal with firearms when responding to domestic violence calls,” said Providence Mayor Angel Taveras in support of the new report. “It is our moral and civic responsibility to do all we can to prevent domestic violence, protect those who are at risk, and support anyone who has been victimized by their spouse or partner.”

After a spike in the number of domestic violence homicides in 2002, the RICADV launched a seven-point plan to ensure a coordinated community response to domestic violence and promised to monitor Rhode Island’s law enforcement policies. In 2005, Rhode Island saw the landmark passage of the Homicide Prevention Act which restricted the possession of firearms by abusers with restraining orders. A year later, the FADVTF was formed.

“Several years ago, when we outlined the Seven-Point Plan to reduce domestic violence homicides, we made a commitment to monitor law enforcement policies in cases of domestic violence,” continued DeBare. “Today, we’re making good on that promise by working to ensure that across the state, victims, bystanders and officers are kept safe from the dangers of gun violence in domestic violence situations.”

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