Abuse of Power
THE clearinghouse on police-perpetrated domestic violence
...providing a needed resource for victims and advocates
Articles & Book Excerpts
Material written by Diane Wetendorf, Dottie L. Davis, Kim Lonsway, Lundy Bancroft & others.
Please remember that all material on this Web site is protected by copyright. If you wish to reproduce the material for any purpose other than your personal reading, please contact us.
Abusive Police Officers: Working the System: Officers who batter typically use tactics of control they acquired through their professional training and experience. Their professional credibility and authority uniquely position abusive officers to explain, defend and summon institutional support and assistance from the very systems victims turn to for protection. (23 pgs, includes 48 bibliographic references; Available for purchase.)
Advocate & Officer Dialogues: Police-Perpetrated Domestic Violence: Two essays, Developing Policy on Officer-Involved Domestic Violence and The Misuse of Police Powers in Officer-Involved Domestic Violence, explore how the tremendous power and authority granted to officers to protect the public can lead to the abuse of their power. Wetendorf and Davis find that solutions good from the department's perspective can make things worse for the victim; and solutions better for the victim can leave the department open to liability. (32 pgs; Available for purchase.)
The Batterer in Custody and Visitation Disputes: (Lundy Bancroft with Jay Silverman) Partner abuse affects everyone in a family. Children's emotional recovery is closely tied to the healing and empowerment of their mothers. Bancroft covers the post-separation parenting behaviors of men who batter, including their use of custody litigation as a tool of abuse.
Crossing the Threshold: Female Officers and Police-Perpetrated Domestic Violence: Examines how male police officers' institutional power filters down into their intimate relationships. While focusing on female officers' experience and institutional response, the book is insightful and relevant for civilian victims, advocates, attorneys and law enforcement administrators. (156 pgs, includes 93 bibliographic references; Available for purchase.)
Discussion Paper on IACP's Policy on Domestic Violence by Police Officers: This paper in support of the IACP model policy addresses policy philosophy and development and implementation requirements.
Effective Lawyering for Police-Perpetrated Domestic Violence Victims: (Diane Wetendorf) Explores some of the extraordinary challenges of representing a woman in a divorce or custody case whose batterer is a police officer. ("Representing Victims of Police-Perpetrated Domestic Violence" published in Family Law Forum. MN State Bar Association Family Law Section, Fall 2007, 16 (2) 14-23.)
Female Officers as Victims of Police-Perpetrated Domestic Violence: (Diane Wetendorf) Examines how the expectations and values of the female officer's profession and workplace culture influence her behavior and decisions regarding her abusive relationship. (PDF format available at no charge through the Battered Women's Justice Project.)
IACP Policy on Domestic Violence by Police Officers: The model policy on domestic violence by police officers established by the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
The Impact of Police-Perpetrated Domestic Violence: (Diane Wetendorf) Examines the dynamics of police-perpetrated domestic violence and how it impacts the victim, the department and the community. (Published in Domestic Violence by Police Officers. Donald C. Sheehan (ed.) pp 375-382. U.S. Department of Justice, 2000.)
Lessons Learned from Tacoma: The Problem of Police Officer Domestic Violence: (Kim Lonsway Ph.D., Diane Wetendorf, Pete Conis Ph.D.) It often takes a tragic wake-up call such as the murder-suicide by the Tacoma police chief to create real change. The authors review how police agencies can proactively address officer-involved domestic abuse. (Published in Law Enforcement Executive Forum: 2003 (3) 5; pp.27-36.)
Police Domestic Violence Handbook for Victims: As the victim of a police officer, your situation is very different than that of other victims of domestic violence. If you have ever tried to get help, you may have become discouraged because no one seemed to understand your plight. You are not alone. Thousands of women who are also in your situation have shared their experience and helped us write this book. (32 pgs; Available for purchase.)
Police-Perpetrated Domestic Violence: (Diane Wetendorf) Rather than customizing services for victims of police abusers, we need to expect that the departments have the integrity to hold their own police family members accountable for criminal behavior. (Presentation at the National Center for Women and Policing 1998 Annual Conference)
Policies on Police Officer Domestic Violence: Prevalence and Specific Provisions Within Large Police Agencies: (Kim Lonsway Ph.D.) A national sample of large police agencies found few had a specific policy for officer-involved domestic violence. The policies varied widely in scope, focus, and specific provisions.
Responding to Police Officer Domestic Violence: The IACP Model Policy: (Kim Lonsway Ph.D. & Chief Penny Harrington) The authors describe the 1996 legislation (Lautenberg Amendment) that dictated the response of police departments to officer-involved domestic violence. They then review the model policy released by the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
Stacy Peterson Commentary on BWJP Web site: Media coverage on the disappearance of Stacy Peterson has been remiss in its failure to highlight former Sgt. Peterson’s profession as a law enforcement officer. Although most reports have noted his profession there has been no analysis addressing his law enforcement experience as a significant aspect of his emerging profile as a serial abuser.
When the Batterer Is a Law Enforcement Officer: A Guide for Advocates: (Diane Wetendorf) A comprehensive resource for advocates working with women whose batterers are in law enforcement. It explores the reasons why familiar remedies are often inadequate and includes specific safety considerations and advocacy strategies. (The complete Guide (96 pgs) is available in PDF format at no charge through the Battered Women's Justice Project.)