Two police departments explain how they deal with DV incidents
WEST POINT/STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A shootout in broad daylight at the Quality Inn Hotel in Starkville on Thursday, February 20, left two men dead. It allegedly started as an argument about a woman.
“Getting domestic-related calls whether it be first party or third party,” Said Brandon Lovelady, Starkville Police Department’s Public Information Officer. “Is not an abnormal call.”
“Pretty much every agency not just in Mississippi, but throughout the US, deal with domestic violence on a daily,” said Detective Sergeant Marvin Hughes, West Point Police Department. “As a particular example, West Point Police Department today has dealt with at least two domestics before 8:00 this morning.”
The Starkville Police Department’s Public Information Officer Brandon Lovelady said every agency has a protocol for handling domestic violence incidents.
“We have a very important role to take steps when we are getting these calls, and when we are getting these repeat calls to take action,” said Lovelady. “It is required by state law that we shall if we see evidence that a domestic violence has occurred, to make an arrest.”
According to the CDC, more than two thousand domestic violence-related homicides were reported in 2021.
Detective Sergeant Marvin Hughes said one of the most difficult things when it comes to trying to help someone in a domestic violence case, is a lack of cooperation from the victim.
“When it comes to victim cooperation when it comes to domestic violence, it is kind of a hit or miss,” said Hughes. “We in law enforcement cannot force victims to cooperate.”
LT. Mary Huggins with the West Point Police Department said when it comes to you or someone you know is involved in a domestic incident, it is important to remember that there are resources available to help.
“We have Safe haven that is in Columbus, and we also have some church organizations that I cannot name specifically mention, but it is available to them,” said Mary Huggins, West Police Department’s Lieutenant. “They are helping them under the cooperation of them, it is not making them do it, it is under their assistance of wanting help.”
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence, there is a 24/7 hotline, and a Mississippi center for violence prevention that can respond 24 hours a day.
