05-04 Intimate Partner Violence Flashcards
What is the Rationale?
The Toronto Police Service (Service) recognizes that intimate partner violence is a serious social problem, and is not limited or restricted by marital status, sexual orientation, occupation, vulnerability, age or gender. The Service also views intimate partner violence as a preventable crime.
The goal of the Service is to:
reduce the incidence of intimate partner violence and homicide in the community through education and enforcement;
thoroughly investigate all intimate partner violence and intimate partner incidents, and bring offenders to justice wherever possible;
enhance the safety of victims through prompt action including referrals to other community partners; and
build effective partnerships with community support agencies to ensure a victim focussed response.
Supervision -
Supervisory Officer attendance mandatory
all intimate partner violence calls
when the suspect/accused/victim is a member of this Service
when the suspect/accused is a member of another police service Supervisory Officer notification mandatory
Intimate Partner Violence Investigator (IPVI) or Officer in Charge notification mandatory when attending or investigating intimate partner violence and a supervisor is unable to attend
Divisional Investigative office mandatory notification where REASONABLE GROUNDS exist and the suspect has left the scene
Procedure - Calls for Service - Intimate partner violence and intimate partner incident calls for service SHALL be treated with the same priority as
other life threatening calls. The safety of the victim and dependents requires prompt and efficient response to all calls and the Service SHALL respond even when the original call for service is cancelled.
Procedure - Calls for Service - When a person attends a division to report intimate partner violence or an intimate partner incident the division receiving the complaint SHALL be responsible for the
initial investigation and submission of an eReport. If the offence did not occur in the division receiving the complaint, assistance may be obtained from the appropriate division to conduct the follow-up investigation.
Procedure - Calls for Service - If assistance is not obtained or is not available, the division receiving the report will thoroughly investigate the allegation. At no time SHALL a reportee be directed to attend
a different unit or location to report intimate partner violence or intimate partner incident.
Procedure - Calls for Service - When responding to a third party call for service regarding intimate partner violence or an intimate partner incident, the complainant SHALL be
interviewed to ascertain all relevant facts. The eReport SHALL include the information received from the third party interview.
Victims and Witnesses without Legal Status -
Victims and witnesses of crime SHALL not be asked their
immigration status, unless there are bona fide reasons to do so.
Victims and Witnesses without Legal Status -
Victims and witnesses of crime SHALL not be asked their
immigration status, unless there are bona fide reasons to do so.
Charges -
Police officers SHALL fully document their response to every intimate partner violence and intimate partner incident call, regardless of whether a criminal offence has been committed or a charge laid/an arrest made. Charges SHALL be laid in all cases where REASONABLE GROUNDS exist, and the decision to lay charges SHALL not be influenced by factors such as:
marital status of the parties;
disposition of previous calls for police service;
victim’s unwillingness to attend court;
likelihood of obtaining a conviction;
denials of violence despite contrary evidence;
fear of reprisals by the accused;
occupation of the victim/accused; and
immigration status of the parties.
Charges - When a criminal offence has been committed and no charge is laid (e.g., offender is deceased, offender has diplomatic immunity, offender in foreign country, etc.), officers SHALL
document the incident, event number, and reasons for no arrest/charge in an eReport.
Charges - In addition to investigating and taking action in relation to any new criminal offence, prompt enforcement action SHALL be taken in all cases in which there is any breach of:
a Bail condition;
a Probation Order, Parole or Conditional Sentence;
a Recognizance to Keep the Peace (S. 810);
a Restraining Order (Family Law Act and Children’s Law Reform Act);
an Exclusive Possession Order (Family Law Act);
the Trespass to Property Act; or
any other court order.
Charges - Intimate Partner Violence Investigators (IPVI) SHALL take the lead role in all intimate partner violence investigations except in the following circumstances where:
the incident involves an allegation of sexual assault, a IPVI SHALL be designated as the lead investigator, but SHALL work in consultation with an accredited sexual assault investigator;
the incident involves death, the investigation SHALL be assigned to Detective Operations - Homicide and Missing Persons Unit;
cases involving criteria offences as defined in the Ontario Major Case Management Manual, the investigation SHALL be assigned to an accredited Major Case Manager; or
the incident involves a young person a IPVI SHALL be designated as the lead investigator, but SHALL work in consultation with an officer assigned to youth investigations
Domestic Violence - Risk Management – Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (DVRM/ODARA) - The Domestic Violence Risk Management – Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (DVRM/ODARA) is a report that SHALL be
completed for all intimate partner violence occurrences.
Domestic Violence - Risk Management – Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (DVRM/ODARA) -
Only an accredited IPVI, who has received the ODARA training and received a certificate from Waypoint Health Center SHALL complete the DVRM/ODARA.
Should be used as a tool to assist officers, supervisors and Crowns in managing intimate partner violence investigations and identifying risk factors that may exist in an intimate partner violence case.
Victim participation in completing the DVRM is optimal and strongly encouraged
- every effort should be made to improve relationships, build trust with the victim and promote victim participation,
- however, an uncooperative or incapacitated victim does not preclude you from completing the report, as other sources of information are available.
It is important that the accredited IPVI conducting the investigation understands the purpose of each question and is able to assess and manage risk. They must make sure the victim has a good understanding of the question in order to get the required information.
The DVRM/ODARA must be completed and in the crown brief for the bail hearing.
Safety - Recognizing that the safety of victims, witnesses and police officers is a priority due to the high risk inherent intimate partner violence situations, officers must use ______when responding to intimate partner violence and intimate partner incident calls. A minimum of______ to all intimate partner violence and intimate partner incident related calls for service. Officers SHALL _______. The first officer to arrive on scene should be prepared to ______ in emergent circumstances.
extreme caution, two (2) officers SHALL be dispatched, remain at the scene until satisfied that the safety risk to the victim is minimized, act prior to the arrival of a backup officer
Incidents Involving a Member of a Police Service -
Members SHALL initially consider whether the intimate partner violence situation being investigated may fall within the mandate of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU). If so,
responding members SHALL comply with the relevant sections of Procedure 13–16.
Incidents Involving a Member of a Police Service - All allegations arising from an intimate partner violence situation in which the suspect/accused is a member of another police service SHALL be
reported in a timely manner to the Duty Officer of that police service by the Unit Commander of the Service division handling the investigation, or by the Duty Senior Officer – Toronto Police Operations Centre (Duty Senior Officer).
Incidents Involving a Member of a Police Service - Intimate partner violence situations within the City of Toronto where the suspect/accused is a member of this Service will be initially investigated by
the responding division in compliance with this Procedure. The Unit Commander / Duty Senior Officer SHALL notify Professional Standards (PRS) who will assume the role of case manager. Divisional personnel SHALL assist PRS, as required.
Incidents Involving a Member of a Police Service - Professional Standards is designated as the Service liaison with other police services regarding Service member–involved intimate partner violence occurrences outside the City of Toronto, and SHALL be
responsible for submitting a TPS 901 in compliance with Procedures 13–02 and 13–03.
Incidents Involving a Member of a Police Service - Occurrences of Service member–involved intimate partner violence outside of Canada SHALL be treated as
allegations of discreditable conduct in compliance with the relevant Procedures in Chapter 13.
Police Officer - The first police officer SHALL be responsible for the
safety and wellbeing of the victim, offender management and preservation of the evidence and the crime scene.
Police Officer - When a person attends a division to report intimate violence or an intimate partner incident SHALL
shall conduct an initial investigation
shall complete the applicable eReport
shall not direct the reportee to attend a different unit or location
if the offence did not occur in the division may request the appropriate division to conduct the follow-up investigation
if assistance is not available from the division in which the offence took place shall
- conduct a thorough investigation
- comply with the applicable sections of this procedure
Police Officer - When attending or upon discovering intimate partner violence or an intimate partner incident SHALL
ensure the safety of all persons at the scene
conduct a thorough investigation
request the attendance of a supervisory officer to an intimate partner violence call
- if a supervisory officer is unable to attend, notify a IPVI of all pertinent facts
- if unable to notify a IPVI, notify the Officer in Charge of all pertinent facts
make every effort to determine the dominant aggressor
ensure medical attention is offered to all injured parties, as required
ask the victim if injuries have been sustained and note the response in the memorandum book
note personal observations of the victim’s injuries in the memorandum book
ensure Toronto Paramedic Services is contacted where there is an indication of strangulation or, even when there is no visible sign of injury
Internal injuries may cause death within seventy two (72) hours if not treated.
Police Officer - When attending or upon discovering intimate partner violence or an intimate partner incident SHALL (2)
if the victim requires or requests medical attention, offer to take the victim to a Sexual Assault/ Domestic Violence Care Centre (SA/DVCC)
SA/DVCCs are located at Women’s College Hospital (WCH) and The Scarborough Hospital – Birchmount Campus and General Campus. The SA/ DVCC at WCH provides sexual assault
and intimate partner violence services to persons over the age of fourteen (14) who have been sexually assaulted within the last thirty (30) days and/or are experiencing intimate partner violence. Prior to transporting or attending the WCH SA/DVCC, officers must contact the 24 hour on-call switchboard number at 416-323-6400 and press “0”. The operator will then transfer officers to the on-call SA/DVCC nurse.
Women’s College Hospital SA/DVCC is open twenty four (24) hours / seven (7) days per week. Patients can access services at WCH or at one (1) of their seven (7) mobile emergency department sites: Mount Sinai, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Michael Garron Hospital, St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and St. Michael’s Hospital. The SA/DVCC nurse can be reached by telephone and will arrange to see the victim at the above noted hospitals.
There is no longer an Emergency Department at WCH. Therefore patients who require immediate medical assessment or treatment will need to be assessed by a physician at the closest emergency department. The emergency department provider will contact WCH when the patient is medically cleared. Patients who do not require emergency department services can be transported directly to WCH.