Guns and domestic violence are a deadly combination. Perpetrators of domestic violence who have access to guns pose a lethal threat to those they abuse, the community, and law enforcement. When a perpetrator has access to a gun, the risk of the intimate partner being murdered by their abuser is five times more likely. With a better understanding of the realities of domestic violence and the use of tools such as a risk/lethality assessment, law enforcement can help determine the level of danger a victim of domestic violence faces and their risk of being killed by their intimate partner as well as gain information that can impact officer and victim safety. The presentation will identify high risk and lethality indicators, including guns, for victims and law enforcement; define realities of domestic violence perpetrators; emphasize the connection between domestic violence and officer safety; and highlight procedures and methods law enforcement can implement to increase the safety of victims and officers.
