Sheriff’s Office & Community Partners Recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Modified: April 6, 2016 12:26pm

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09/30/2015

Buffalo, NY – Erie County Sheriff Timothy B. Howard and its community-based domestic violence service providers and partners recognized October as Domestic Violence Awareness month by placing commemorative ribbons on Sheriff’s marked patrol and transport vehicles.

Purple has long been recognized as a symbol of victims seeking justice and a means to show support for individuals affected by domestic violence and on Wednesday, Sheriff Howard, Chief Joslyn and several community partners tied ribbons to vehicle antennas and placed magnetic placards on patrol cars signifying their support for victims and pledging their commitment to ending domestic violence.

For more than eighteen years, the Sheriff’s Office has operated a dedicated Domestic Violence Unit with funding from the New York State Office of Child and Family Services.  The unit is composed of criminal deputies and a detective specially trained to respond to and investigate domestic violence incidents and work closely with our community partners.  Additionally the unit has four victim advocates to help find the necessary resources available and a unit coordinator.

Every Domestic Incident Report (DIR) Deputies filed is followed up by an advocate shortly after an incident occurs.  The initial advocate outreach typically occurs the same or following day the incident occurred.

Sheriff Timothy B. Howard states, “I have insisted that my office maintain a domestic violence unit and to find ways to fund the unit even if grant monies fall short.  I will not allow an expiring grant to hinder my office’s investigation and enforcement of domestic violence laws or prevent the unit from providing assistance to victims. Although October is designated Domestic Violence Awareness month, my office’s commitment to enforcement, awareness and prevention continues every day, every week and every month.”

In 2014, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office responded to nearly 1,700 reported domestic violence incidents in the office’s five primary patrol offices.  These calls included violence between intimate partners, teenagers and the elderly.  In addition to our criminal investigations, the Sheriff’s Office collaborates with our awareness and prevention partners to educate the public to the signs of domestic violence and raise awareness of the growing number of groups falling victim to domestic violence.

Sheriff’s Office Domestic Violence Service Providers & Partners 

Erie County District Attorney – BeSafe Program

Erie County Department of Social Services

Crisis Services

International Institute of Buffalo

Family Justice Center

Hispanics United

Haven House

YWCA

Catholic Charities