Council hearing probes NYPD response to domestic violence in isolation
/
Council members Donovan Richards and Helen Rosenthal co-hosted a hearing to address domestic violence during the pandemic. Photo by Emil Cohen/City Council Flickr
By Rachel Vick
A City Council hearing on efforts to stop domestic violence during coronavirus isolation turned testy Friday, as members questioned NYPD officials about diverting resources that could protect families and partners at risk of abuse.
Despite fears that isolation would lead to an increase in domestic violence, reports to the NYPD consistently decreased throughout April. Council Speaker Corey Johnson said the drop reflects underreporting and a lack of follow-up by the NYPD due to staff shortages.
“It's heartbreaking to think that in this incredibly painful moment for our city that there are people literally trapped behind doors, children and adults, who are just being constantly abused and taken advantage of in serious ways,” Johnson said.
“I understand that protocol has changed in this moment because of COVID-19, but it is a little alarming to me that the officers aren't going to the apartments,” he added.
The hearing was organized by the Committee on Women and Gender Equity and the Committee on Public Safety. Officials from the NYPD and Mayor's Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence testified about how the city was addressing domestic violence.
“We’re always concerned about domestic violence being underreported,” said NYPD Deputy Chief Kathleen White, adding that the cause of the declining number of domestic violence reports “is going to be the million dollar question that we’re going to be looking at and really analyzing between now and more time in the next couple months.”
Officers in some cases conducted remote check-ins because several officers from the Domestic Violence Unit called out sick, while others were reassigned to fill in on patrols, White said. A 911 text system that could be a resource for survivors of domestic violence is not scheduled to go live until June, she said.
Queens Councilmember Donovan Richards, chair of the Committee on Public Safety criticized the slow rollout of the text system and said the NYPD needs to increase home visits related to domestic violence because victims are stuck at home with their abusers.
“If you were checking up two to three times before, is that sufficient now?” Richards said.
“Double that number, at least, would be sufficient in the event of a pandemic when people are locked in the homes together with their abuser,” he said. “I live in the real world.”
If you or someone you know is facing abuse, help is available via the City's 24-hour Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-621-4673 and online through Safe Horizon. In an emergency, call 911.
