California Police Chief- Fall 2013 CPCA_2018_Spring Magazine_Final | Page 16

REDUCING
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
IN CHULA VISTA
By Chief Roxana Kennedy
One of the most common problems facing law
enforcement agencies today is also one of the most
dangerous and frustrating – domestic violence. Officers
are frequently and repeatedly dispatched to the
same addresses to respond to disputes and physical
violence between intimate partners. As a result of this
recurrence, a sense of futility and helplessness are
felt by both the victims and the police. Chula Vista,
a diverse city of 270,000 that lies on the California-
Mexico border, tested an innovative approach to
handling these domestic violence calls with the goal of
reducing their negative impact on the community.
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