WARREN, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Warren Police Department in partnership with the city of Warren, the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office, Wayne State University, a 37th District Court judge and the nonprofit Turning Point Macomb are launching a first-of-its-kind domestic violence prevention program.
The initiative, called Operation Cycle Break, will take their domestic violence approach from reactive to proactive.
Watch Sarah Michals' video report below:
Warren Police Commissioner Eric Hawkins said the precipice of the program was this past winter when he noticed that almost 50% of their violent crimes had a domestic violence tie.
“Almost 70% of our homicides have this domestic violence nexus,” he said.
Below are the gaps Hawkins said their traditional response model had:
- Limited Initial Contact: Our initial follow-ups were almost exclusively by phone. If we could not reach someone, there was often no in-person follow-up at all.
- Missed Opportunities for Intervention: This often meant cases were not fully authorized, and critically, victims and offenders were not connected with the vital resources they needed.
- Slow Justice: Victims might receive a court date letter in the mail up to 90 days after an incident. This delay not only prolonged their distress but also created opportunities for further harm.
- Lack of Proactive Monitoring: We were not routinely conducting unannounced welfare checks for victims or suspects, nor were we completing essential lethality assessments. Batterer intervention counseling was not typically offered at bond, and overall case progress was not systematically monitored for effectiveness.
According to Hawkins, the shortcomings meant the department was:
"Often playing catch-up, and the cycle of violence or re-offending was not being effectively broken. Operation Cycle Break representing a holistic shift in response and now takes a proactive and integrated approach to these incidents. We are implementing a multi-faceted strategy that prioritizes immediate intervention, continuous monitoring and streamlined processes."
Some of the key improvements police outlined of Operation Cycle Break include:
- Immediate, In-Person Follow-Up: We now require initial follow-up by both phone and, critically, in-person, especially if we cannot make primary phone contact. This ensures we reach those who need us most.
- Essential Lethality Assessments: Our officers are now required to complete a multi-questions lethality assessment. This crucial tool helps us identify high-risk situations and prioritize our response, involving all necessary stakeholders.
- Increased Offender Accountability: Upon arrest, suspects receive a letter informing them that we will be actively monitoring their behavior post-custody. They are also provided with a resource pamphlet outlining available local services, encouraging them to seek help.
- Mandatory Intervention at Bond: We are now actively requesting court-ordered batterer intervention counseling as a condition of bond. This is a critical step in addressing the root causes of offending behavior.
- Prompt Victim Support: Within just 10 days of the initial incident, our detectives are personally following up with victims. We are ensuring they are safe, secure, not re-victimized, and that offenders are complying with no-contact orders.
- Streamlined Court Process: We have standardized court dates to every Wednesday. This allows all stakeholders – law enforcement, victim advocates, and the courts – to be present, fostering better collaboration and significantly expediting the legal process.
- Aggressive Pursuit of Absconders: If offenders fail to appear in court, our department takes immediate, proactive action to locate them and bring them before the court.
- Faster Case Resolution: This concentrated effort is already yielding remarkable results. We are seeing cases successfully resolved in the 37th District Court far quicker than historically.
- Active Monitoring of High-Risk Offenders: We are actively monitoring high-risk offenders to prevent re-offending, breaking the cycle and enhancing public safety.
The program quietly launched at the beginning of May. In just the first month, Hawkins says:
- Domestic violence-related warrants increased by nearly 30%
- Offenders began receiving counseling before sentencing
- Police reported stronger connections with survivors
Dr. Sharman Davenport, president of Turning Point Macomb, says this kind of proactive, trauma-informed approach can make a lasting difference.
“The fact that this model is based on trying to break the generational cycle of domestic violence is critical,” Davenport said. “You need to know that if somebody comes to your house to help you that they believe you.”
Hear more from Dr. Sharman Davenport below:
Davenport, who’s worked with survivors for more than 25 years, believes this kind of collaboration between police, courts and social services could lead to more trust and better long-term outcomes for families.
“I really think it’s going to create a much more successful outcome for the survivor and for their family,” she said.
Resources for Survivors
Turning Point Macomb operates a 24-hour confidential hotline for survivors of domestic and sexual violence at 586-463-6990.
