Domestic Violence

8 Pages 2057 Words

Discretion and Domestic Violence
In the following text a story is told about a husband and wife and an instance of intervention by a law enforcement officer. Children are also present in this example, however it is unclear if they were involved in the abuse. Three questions have been asked regarding the story. How much discretion should an officer have when deciding how to handle domestic violence? How can police discretion be controlled? How would I, as a police officer, handle this incident? Over the pages following this recount of domestic violence, we will look at the topic of police discretion and domestic violence, and discuss the relationship between the two.
A police officer responds to a call of domestic violence. The home is located in a poor, working class part of Big City where most residents are immigrants and in the country illegally. Upon arrival, the officer contacts the victim who tells him that she and her husband had an argument, but she no longer needs the police. The officer sees that the woman has a red and slightly swollen face and has been crying. He asks the woman for permission to enter the residence. When she tells him that she would rather he just leave, he enters the home to ensure that everyone inside is safe. Once inside, he sees three small children who have also been crying. The oldest child says, "Daddy hit mommy," but offers no more information. The officer then sees the husband standing in the kitchen. The husband has several deep scratch marks on his face and arms. When asked what happened, he states "My wife and I had an argument and things got a little out of hand."
The husband and wife both decline to give any further details. Both thank the officer for checking on the situation, but again ask him to leave. The officer is aware that he has the authority to make an arrest for domestic violence and he does not need a warrant to do so. He believes that the husband is probably the one wh...