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mwagner@dispatch.com Staff Writer The Columbus Dispatch If those who beat their partners want to pick a fight, Ohio's top leader is willing to give them one. And Gov. Ted Strickland is willing to help throw the first legislative punch. "Society must send a clear message that these behaviors are not acceptable and will not be tolerated," Strickland said yesterday. "People who abuse and continue to abuse have come to assume that there will be no consequences. That needs to change. We should be looking at whatever we can to stop this terrible, terrible behavior." In response to a Dispatch investigation that showed Ohio's tolerance of and indifference toward domestic violence, Strickland called for a sweeping examination of, and reforms to, Ohio's approach to the crime. Some of the potential changes Strickland said the state should explore include: • Increasing penalties for repeat offenders, including stiffer punishment for those who violate civil-protection orders. • Strengthening domestic-violence laws so that prosecutors can follow through with cases even if the victim recants. • Establishing judicial review hearings that require convicted batterers to meet with a judge on a regular basis to prove they no longer are abusing and are complying with all court orders. • Forming fatality-review boards to examine the circumstances surrounding homicides involving domestic violence to determine where the system failed. No state has the perfect solution to protect victims and punish abusers, but some programs and policies elsewhere have proved successful in reducing domestic violence. "If we can learn from what other states have done, that would be very, very helpful," Strickland said. "There should be a clear difference between first-time offenders versus repeat offenders. I understand the need for intervention programs and getting them help, but if they repeat the abuse, I think you throw the book at them." Senate President Bill M. Harris, R-Ashland, and Democratic House Speaker Armond Budish of Beachwood both pledge support in finding ways to curb domestic violence. The four-month Dispatch investigation "Domestic Silence" found that at least 35 men in Franklin County have been charged at least five times on domestic-violence-related charges since 2000 but have spent little post-conviction time behind bars. In a Study of DV offender court cases in 2022, and the DV offenders entire criminal case history in Clark County, SDVC Found: Identification of 22 men with at least 21 to 50 criminal charges with between 7 to 41 of those charges as domestic violence. Identification of 38 men with at least 10 to 20 criminal charges with between 3 to 15 of those charges as domestic violence. These 60 Serial Domestic Violence offenders are habitual offenders with extensive criminal histories of multiple different crimes and additional charges for assault, robbery, and gun offenses. These men affect not only their current domestic violence victims and do harm to multiple members of the community with their actions. To be 100% clear, SDVC is addressing the issue of Serial Offenders. These serial offenders exhibit similar characteristics to serial killers, rapists, and pedophiles. The series also found that in the past nine years, the number of victims seeking protection orders in Ohio has nearly doubled. BELOW; Table Of petitions for civil domestic violence protection orders - and outcome (Clark County 2003 - 2023) Ohio law prefers arrests in domestic-violence cases, but only a few Ohio police departments make arrests in all cases About 45 percent of all 75,000 domestic-violence runs by police end without an arrest, which is close to the national average. The crime costs the cash-strapped state more than $1 billion annually in social services and medical care for victims. And if not properly addressed, domestic abuse can be fatal. Nearly 17,000 people, mainly women, are killed each year by an intimate partner, according to the National Coalition of Domestic Violence, a nonprofit advocacy group based in Denver. Although Strickland supports stiffer punishment for offenders, the governor also said that finding help for abusers is an important part of the solution. Strickland, a former prison psychologist, said Ohio should consider a mandatory program for batterers in an attempt to change their behavior. But he said that doing more to protect individuals and families living in abusive households should be the priority for state leaders as options to combat domestic violence are considered. "The terror and helplessness some people feel keeps them trapped," Strickland said. "It's our responsibility to give them a way out."

Based on a Springfield News-Sun article By Jessica Orozco April 17, 2024 ( https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/clark-county-republicans-one-faction-files-complaint-against-new-groups-leaders/DUMTJ6S735DIPNWHB7QJOSZY6I/ ) There are many questions that need to be asked. And SDVC has a ton of them. First, SDVC does not engage in politics, our fight is with Domestic Violence Offenders and Criminals and anyone or any agency that does not put the protection of DV Victims first! There are many issues with the current Sheriff's office that need to be answered. A ton of Grant money has come into the Sheriffs’ Office. February 14, 2018: The Sheriff’s office is one of six organizations to receive a $675K grant as part of an initiative to strengthen LE’s response to sexual and domestic violence. Source: https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/crime--law/clark-county-receives-675k-improve-domestic-violence-response/nCDJMXltWMa8tWIkbJ65tM/ July 30, 2018: OIC of Clark County gets $600K to train offenders, reduce jail numbers https://www.wdtn.com/news/local-news/dewine-awards-639k-to-clark-county-sheriffs-office/ March 15, 2024: Clark County has approved a $233.9 million budget for 2024, allocating large sums of money for the county sheriff’s office, building upgrades and community and economic development. https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/clark-county-approves-more-than-200-million-2024-budget/5JW4XQCYGRAUDPRWGVE7RP6CBU/ The Clark County Department of Reentry received about $500,000, part of which will fund a full-time administrative assistant position, department director Brooke Wagner told commissioners. This person will help Wagner with tasks like data collection and reporting required when the department receives grants, which will reduce the time it takes to apply for more grants. Once American Rescue Plan Act dollars are fully spent, the department will have to be funded by other means, like through the One Ohio Recovery Foundation, a nonprofit that works to address the opioid epidemic across the state. There have been many smaller size grants going to the Sheriff’s Office and Clark County Prosecutor's Office (Which we will detail in full-display). Grantees are expected to report on financial expenditures and activities/progress over the life of the award. There is also Grant compliance. This process ensures that grant funds are used and reported appropriately to the government. It includes standards, rules, and regulations that govern documentation management, data reporting, and measuring impact of the grant on the community or purposes intended. A ton of Grant Money had been secured through the Sheriff’s Office and Prosecutors Office to reduce Domestic Violence in the Springfield and Clark County community. As Clara Peller said so famously; Where’s the BEEF! Maybe there is a ton of corruption in Clark County, maybe not, but just show us how the money was spent, it should be easy.

See who gets paid 100,000 or more per year. See MS Excel Spreadsheet Below

James Lagos Partner in The Law Firm of Lagos & Lagos Surender Neravetla                     Physician - Springfield Heart Surgeon Alfred Calabrese                         DEAD Michael D. Calabrese                  Ex. Director - OIC of Clark County Mary Campbell-Zopf                    Deputy Director - Ohio Arts Council Diane Candia                                Clark County Democratic Executive Committee, Member Jeannette A. Chu                          Attorney - Chu Law Pamalee P. Churchill                  Springfield Ohio Phillip Clay                                 Springfield Ohio Gene & Carolyn Clifton                Dentist William  Cooke                            DEAD Clara Copeland                           Wife of Former Mayor Copeland Richard Cochenour                    Mineral Holder Living in Clark County, Oh Richard Blain                                Politician Formerly District 7, First Partner Properties LLC Suzanne Fachon-Kalweit            Wife of Former Cardiologist, Dr. Wilhelm Kalweit Donald J. & Carol A. Beelick        Springfield Ohio Melinda A. Barnhardt Secretary, Indivisible Springfield Ohio Jason Barlow                                Former President of The UAW Local 402 Charles Hart Charles Hart Real Estate a Billion Dollars in Residential And Commercial Curtis Brown                               Attorney - National Association of Credit Management John Woodrow DEAD -  Founded Woodrow Manufacturing & CEO Mohammed S Khan Director of cardiology services at Mercy Health Urbana Hospital Ravi Khanna Medical Oncology Specialist at Oncology Hematology Care, Inc. Cincinnati Ross McGregor State of Ohio Personnel Board of Review, President of Pentaflex. Stephen E Schutte DEAD - Practicing attorney in Springfield The below list of people have contributed $324,946.55  in 2023 and part of 2024 to political campaigns Nationally and locally in Springfield and Clark County just in the zip codes of 45501 to 45506 SOURCE;  Federal Election Commission https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_zip=45501&contributor_zip=45502&contributor_zip=45503&contributor_zip=45504&contributor_zip=45505&contributor_zip=45506&two_year_transaction_period=2024&min_date=01%2F01%2F2023&max_date=12%2F31%2F2024&contributor_state=OH FIRST LAST SUM OF DONATIONS JAMES LAGOS $69,400.00 CHARLES HART $44,013.74 SUZANNE FACHON KALWEIT $25,811.62 CURTIS BROWN $24,030.00 SURENDER NERAVETLA $18,000.00 JOHN WOODROW $7,976.22 RICHARD BLAIN $7,001.16 NIKE LAGOS $6,600.00 ROSS MCGREGOR $6,332.81 WILLIAM COOKE $6,181.14 KATHLEEN TRAUB $5,817.05 STEPHEN SHUTTE $5,400.00 KATHLEEN MOORE $5,192.00 SARAH TACKETT $5,138.88 WILLIAM TINKER $5,078.48 JAKE LITTLEJOHN $5,000.00 GARTH LOUGH $4,753.90 STEPHEN DUNHAM $4,301.39 RON KLINE $3,761.93 JANET KUSHMAUL $3,760.00 MUHAMMAD ASHRAF $3,755.00 SUZANNE COLLINS $3,303.01 LARRY PEGRAM $3,300.00 MOHAMMED KHAN $3,100.00 MARY CAMPBELL ZOPF $3,057.17 SCOTT HAERR $3,000.00 KEITH MURGATROYD $2,779.25 WILLIAM GROVES $2,668.80 JOYCE GENTRY $2,650.00 JEREMY MITCHELL $2,625.82 HAROLD CAIN $2,589.66 TIMOTHY ROBERTS $2,542.00 RICKI PEPIN $2,450.00 CLARA COPELAND $2,396.30 RAVI KHANNA $2,329.12 KEITH HOFFMAN $2,285.60 LAURA ROSENBERGER $2,150.00 BETTY ENGEL $2,139.00 DIANA HEATON $2,127.00 MARY ALLARDYCE $2,062.50 ALMA RUTHERFORD $2,052.00 DONALD BEELICK $2,034.00 CHRISTOPHER GILSON $2,000.00 SABRI SALHIEH $2,000.00 SUM TOTAL   $324,946.55 Here is the list of donors with Springfield Zip Codes. Total amount donated and to which candidate and political party

Using official data and crime statistics to define a city's violent crime rate is crucial for several reasons: Accuracy and Reliability: Official data is collected and compiled by law enforcement agencies and government bodies, making it more reliable than anecdotal evidence or personal perceptions. This data undergoes rigorous collection and analysis processes to ensure accuracy. Objectivity: Official data is less prone to biases and distortions that can be present in anecdotal accounts or media reports. It provides a more objective picture of the crime situation in a city. Comparability: Official crime statistics allow for comparisons between cities, regions, and over time. This is essential for identifying trends, evaluating the effectiveness of crime prevention strategies, and making informed policy decisions. Public Awareness: Official data informs the public about the level of crime in their community. This awareness can lead to increased vigilance, support for crime prevention initiatives, and demands for accountability from officials. Evidence-Based Decision Making: Policymakers, law enforcement, and community organizations rely on official crime data to make informed decisions about crime prevention strategies, resource allocation, and policy changes. Is using official data a way to make an informed decision? Absolutely. Official data provides a factual basis for understanding the nature and extent of violent crime in a city. By analyzing these statistics, you can: Assess the safety of a neighborhood Support or oppose policy changes Make personal safety choices However, it's important to note that official data is not perfect. It may not capture all crimes, and there may be variations in how different agencies collect and report data. Nonetheless, it remains the most reliable and objective source of information for understanding a city's violent crime rate. Resources for Crime and Health Data City of Springfield Police Department Request For Information https://springfieldohio.gov/city_services/records-and-reports/ For current and updated information on Crime Data and Domestic Violence, citizens can request publicly available data. Example of Request Your Full Name Organization (if applicable) Your Address Your Phone Number Your Email State in the email you will be willing to provide your Date of Birth and Social if needed. State how you want the report format: MS Excel Spreadsheet, PDF, Text Document, etc.. State how you want to receive the report: ‘Please send the report via email if possible or that you would be willing to come to the Police Department to receive the report. Request should be made stating” You are not requesting any personally identifiable information (i.e. Social Security Number, Date of Birth, Drivers License Number, etc.) Data requests can contain anything that is of public nature , or what is published in News Reports (Here is an example of data printed in the Springfield News-Sun, July 19, 2024) John S. Marion, 22, of 3756 Lawrenceville Drive, felonious assault - Arrested on July 18, 2024) Specify a data range for the data you request, for example; From January 1, 2022, to January 31, 2023 If you want Specific data explain what it is you are requesting, for example: I’m requesting data within the specified time frame listing any person (age 18 or older) arrested on the below following crimes by Springfield Police Department: Domestic Violence Assault and Aggravated Assault Felonious Assault Felonious Assault/Weapon Menacing and Aggravated Assault Menacing Clark County Sheriff's Office Request For Information https://www.clarkcountyohio.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5755/Request-for-Copy-of-Report?bidId= Clark County, Ohio, Sheriff - Persons Currently In Custody http://www.clark.miamivalleyjails.org/ The Clark County Sheriff's Office has two ways to access data. First, the same rules apply for requesting data on offenders and crime from the Sheriff’s Office as just mentioned for The Springfield Police Department. The second is searching for persons in custody within the Clark County Jail. The website allows a citizen to search based on a person's last name or initial. City of Springfield Municipal Prosecutor's Office (Case Search and Inquiry) https://clerkofcourts.municipal.co.clark.oh.us/web.nsf/CaseSearch?OpenForm This is a Case Search Inquiry. The website will allow users to search by Criminal case, Traffic Case, Civil Case, Parking Case and Temporary Protection Order Case. The search will display the subject's entire Criminal Case history in Clark County, All the subjects court documents, dispositions, sentences and police reports. Clark County Prosecutor's Office (Case Search and Inquiry) https://commonpleas.clarkcountyohio.gov/eservices/home.page.2 The case information contained within this web site is generated from computerized records maintained by the Clark County Clerk of Courts and is deemed to be public information. The site will allow the user to search the subject's entire court case history. Department of Justice Statistics for Clark County https://www.justice.gov/doj/statistics-available-department-justice The Department of Justice provides statistics on a wide variety of subjects. The component links below will help you find what you're looking for but you should also consider searching all Department of Justice websites to find exactly what you need. This is a good site to find aggregate statistics on various crimes Nationally and by state. FBI Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/home Federal Bureau of Investigation | Crime Data Explorer The FBI's Crime Data Explorer (CDE) aims to provide transparency, create easier access, and expand awareness of criminal, and noncriminal, law enforcement data sharing; improve accountability for law enforcement; and provide a foundation to help shape public policy with the result of a safer nation. Use the CDE to discover available data through visualizations, download data in .csv format, and other large data files FBI National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) https://le.fbi.gov/informational-tools/ucr/ucr-technical-specifications-user-manuals-and-data-tools#NIBRS The UCR was discontinued in 2022 and was replaced by NIBRS. This site has State and City crime data. As the UCR Program transitions to a NIBRS-only data collection, changes have been implemented at the national level, though not all have been adopted by state and local agencies at this time. Applicable specifications are identified below. Ohio Incident-Based Reporting System (OIBRS) https://ocjs.ohio.gov/law-enforcement-services/ohio-incidentbased-reporting-system The Ohio Statistical Analysis Center collects crime data from every county and city in the State of Ohio. The website has a crime dashboard and the dashboard visualizes statewide monthly offense counts and rates across categories of crime, reported by Ohio law enforcement agencies. Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (OBCI) https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Files/Reports/Domestic-Violence-Reports The Ohio Attorney General's Office has a wide range of data collection on crime and Domestic Violence. The AG’s office is mandated to collect certain data as per the Ohio Revised Code for Uniform Criminal Reporting. Ohio Public Health Data Warehouse (OPHD) https://odh.ohio.gov/explore-data-and-stats/published-reports The Data & Statistics website at OPHD has a list of interactive applications, published reports and other resources related to data and analyses at ODH The National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS)   https://wisqars.cdc.gov/ This website collects information about violent deaths including homicides, suicides, and deaths caused by law enforcement acting in the line of duty. NVDRS Violent Deaths Report: Reports for All Ages include those of unknown age. Manner of death reported here is assigned by the state abstractor based on all available standard NVDRS data sources. WISQARS National Violent Death Reporting System Pregnancy Status is for females of reproductive age, 15 to 49.   Find out how Clark County Spends their money https://checkbook.ohio.gov/local/counties.aspx?municipality=Clark%20County Local government information featured on the Ohio Checkbook shows local spending grouped by Counties. Users can filter and display data down to the single transaction level. Putting government transparency at your fingertips. See how much Springfield City Employees get paid per year. https://www.daytondailynews.com/data/news/payroll-project/ Using Ohio public records laws or other available resources, the Dayton Daily News has acquired payroll data for area counties, cities, townships and public colleges and universities.

City of Springfield and Clark County official policy statement: "Higher (Domestic Violence) numbers aren't always a bad thing." - Racial Injustice Our local elected officials and county government agencies need to be transparent about violent crime and domestic violence occurring in Clark County. Recently, in a July 16 television news report conducted by ABC News, Channel 22 Dayton, a poor attempt was made by the City of Springfield to confirm their commitment to addressing domestic violence in which they vigorously claimed to be working with the Clark County Sheriff's Office to reduce domestic violence. Again, The City's claim of addressing the rising Domestic Violence and Crime was without presenting any facts, data, or evidence to support their claim. Rigorous research and investigation spanning from 2017 to the present for ANY presentation of data or research have NEVER surfaced in the media or public reports presented by City or County agencies, City Commissioners, County Commissioners, The Springfield Police Department, or Clark County Sheriff's Department. Furthermore, in the news report conducted by ABC News, Channel 22 Dayton, Sergeant Denise Jones, the Intimate Partner Violence supervisor for the Clark County Sheriff's Office, said: "The statistics do not show the whole picture because sometimes higher numbers mean more victims are reporting abuse instead of deciding not to report it." Sgt Jones says, "I know everybody kind of hyper-focuses on your numbers are up," said Jones. "Higher numbers aren't always a bad thing". Source: https://dayton247now.com/news/local/springfield-domestic-violence-coalition-releases-new-data-with-some-troubling-trends The Clark County Sheriff's Office made an official policy statement. Sergeant Denise Jones was in uniform and addressed the media on behalf of the Clark County Sheriff's Office. Furthermore, the City of Springfield made the official statement on behalf of the Public Safety Director, stating on air, "The City is working with the Clark County Sheriff's Sheriff's Office..." Official statements made on behalf of The Clark County Sheriff's Office (whom Sgt Jones Represents) and by Public Safety Director Jason Via are unacceptable. These statements implicitly and explicitly state that there is no concern for the well-being of Domestic violence, and by their own words, imply "Higher (Domestic Violence) numbers aren't always a bad thing." As Executive Director of Springfield Domestic Violence Coalition, I will be actively engaged and vigorously urge citizen voters and our many members of the coalition to make changes at the ballot box by actively urging that ALL three members of the Clark County Commissioners get voted out of office. Furthermore, since The City of Springfield made no retractions of statements nor opposition to those statements or public notice of retraction to those statements was made by any City Commissioners on this issue, I will be actively engaged and vigorously urging citizen voters to make sure at election time ALL five City Commissioners be voted out of office. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Flax Wilt, Melanie 937-521-2005 McGlothin, Lowell 937-521-2005 Rittenhouse, Sasha 937-521-2005 SPRINGFIELD OHIO COMMISSIONERS Mr. Rob Rue (Mayor) Dr. David Estrop Mrs. Krystal Brown Ms. Bridget Houston Mrs. Tracy Tackett Lastly, I will contact the Department of Justice about possible Civil Rights violations and address issues of Constitutional rights violations based on those statements. Springfield Domestic Violence Coalition will notify the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, Artemis Center, Dayton's Domestic Violence Resource Agency, Violence Free Futures of Xenia, and The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) on the County's Official statements and The City of Springfields adherence to Clark County Domestic Violence Statement. Lastly, since there is an exponential increase of African American women being assaulted through Intimate Partner Violence it is imperative to notify the local and national chapters of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Department of Justice civil rights violation: https://civilrights.justice.gov/report/ ACLU Ohio: https://action.aclu.org/legal-intake/ohio-legal-intake Ohio Domestic Violence Network: https://www.odvn.org/ Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence: https://oaesv.org/ Artemis Center, Dayton's Domestic Violence Resource Agency: https://www.artemiscenter.org/   Violence Free Futures of Xenia: https://www.violencefreefutures.org/ The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV): https://ncadv.org/ SDVC calls on Clark County and The City of Springfield officials to take immediate action to address the rising rates of domestic violence and to prioritize the safety and well-being of victims. We urge the community to hold their elected officials accountable and demand a change in attitude toward this critical issue. Beth Donahue  Executive Director - Springfield Domestic Violence Coalition (SDVC)  https://www.springfielddvc.com   Cell: 937-591-5054  Email: beth@springfielddvc.com

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (WKEF) -- A new report from the Springfield Domestic Violence Coalition is showing shifting trends in domestic violence in its July Progress Report 2024. The group does these reports monthly, compiling data from all levels, national, state, county and city to keep a pulse on the problem. A representative from the group said when they talked to city officials, there was not enough focus on the problem as a whole because jurisdictions mostly only pay attention to data from their agencies. “What they ended up doing is pretty much dismissing the whole pie of domestic violence and really only wanting to claim their little pieces of the pie saying ‘Well, we’re responsible for this, and Clark County’s responsible for that,' but this is a whole community,” James Steward, a Springfield Domestic Violence Coalition member and criminologist said. Steward was at the city commission meeting on Tuesday, July 16 to share new data with officials. This month’s report revealed some concerning trends. Even though domestic violence has decreased between married couples, it has increased between non-married couples living together. “In Springfield, the percentage of husbands arrested for DV decreased from 16.9% in 2011 to 11.6% in 2023, while the percentage of wives as victims also declined from 17.1% in 2016 to 9.7% in 2023,” said the report. However, intimate partner violence of “live-in partners” increased from 18.4% in 2012 to 30.6% in 2023, according to the report. Victims are also getting younger on average with the mean age of female victims who reported abuse in Springfield moving from 28.5 years-old in 2010 to 22.6 years-old in 2023 the report revealed. Another troubling statistic has to do with violence toward Black women in Springfield. “The percentage of Black female victims increased from 20.7% in 2011 to 31.7% in 2023,” said the report. Steward said another problem is the amount of cases being dismissed in court. “So, that is a vicious cycle going around and they go back out and they recommit these same crimes, which has developed a domestic violence serial offender,” said Steward. The Clark County Sheriff’s Office received a grant in 2017 and since then, more resources have been dedicated toward a program to help victims and hold abusers accountable. Part of receiving $675,000 is reporting on performance measures. How did this money impact Clark County and the City of Springfield in the reduction of Domestic Violence? Where's the Data, what are the performance measures used to determine effectiveness? February 14, 2018: The Sheriff’s office is one of six organizations to receive a $675K grant as part of an initiative to strengthen LE’s response to sexual and domestic violence. The grant will provide the sheriff’s office with resources, support, training and technical assistance to build capacity “and raise awareness of the existence and impact of gender bias on responses to domestic and sexual violence,” according to a news release. The Clark County sheriff’s office will work with several national agencies, including the chiefs association, U.S. Department of Justice, the Office for Victims of Crime and the National Crime Victim Law Institute “to identify aspects of agency culture that may create or sustain biases, develop sustainable strategies to address and eliminate the impact of bias on the response to and investigation of sexual and domestic violence, and implement trauma-informed, victim-centered procedures agency-wide. https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/crime--law/clark-county-receives-675k-improve-domestic-violence-response/nCDJMXltWMa8tWIkbJ65tM/ Sergeant Denise Jones, the Intimate Partner Violence supervisor for the Clark County Sheriff’s Office said the statistics do not show the whole picture because sometimes higher numbers mean more victims are reporting abuse instead of deciding not to report it. More victims report DV because they don't want to report - WHAT? “I know everybody kind of hyper-focuses on your numbers are up,” said Jones. “Higher numbers aren’t always a bad thing. Sgt Jones said it - IT IS ALWAYS a bad thing when DOMESTIC VIOLENCE NUMBERS ARE HIGH! Q: Is this the Official Policy of Clark County? Q: Is the Official policy of the Clark County Sheriff's Office? If this is an official statement made on behalf of Clark County (who Sgt Jones Represents), then citizen voters need to make sure ALL three members of the Clark County Commissioners get voted out of office. This implicitly implies there is absolute no concern for the well-being of Domestic Violence Victims - which are residents of Clark County If I’m doing a good job and I’m out in the community and they know we have a solid program, which we do here in Clark County, they’re more apt to follow up with me, more apt to interact with me.” Why do Domestic Violence victims need to follow up with you? YOU need to follow up with them! Victims need protection orders, solid probable cause reports to prosecute offenders, GPS tracking on violent offenders and serial offender, victims need to be protected from intimidation by offenders that keep them from testifying. Springfield’s Deputy Director of Public Safety said the city is constantly working with other agencies, including the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and community partners to decrease this type of violence. The City has no data, The City of Springfield HAS never... NEVER presented data on this subject. All talk and no ACTION. Springfield Police Department reporting to OBCI on Domestic Violence have months of unreported data. Municipal Prosecutor DiBartalo has NEVER presented data on the courts dispositions for Domestic Violence. “I feel like our people who are in the trenches if you will of this subject are our subject matter experts, and what we hear consistently is that there’s always room for improvement,” Jason Via, the deputy director of public safety for Springfield said. “The city of Springfield is dedicated to continuing these partnerships to support our victims of domestic violence and this issue does remain at the forefront.” Steward said that part of the problem with the data is that each agency at each level defines domestic violence differently. He added that organizations that work with victims often have separate data that is not reflected in criminal data. He said these two data sets need to be combined and analyzed to see the whole picture of the problem. Please, Please, let's start talking about things that matter. Let's have a conversation about Arrests of offenders, Courts cases of offenders and their outcomes. Let's get down to business about understanding the demographics of victims and offenders and defining our most vulnerable population and what measures The City and County need to take to start reducing Domestic Violence.

Will the Mayor and Commissioners listen and take action?

Springfield, Ohio, like many cities across the nation, is grappling with a surge in domestic violence. However, within this crisis lies a disturbing trend that demands immediate attention: the disproportionate impact on the Black community, particularly young Black women. This issue is not merely a matter of statistics; it's a failure of leadership, a breakdown of community support, and a stark example of systemic neglect. SEE THE FULL REPORT BELOW (PDF) Increasing assaults on young Black women in the City of Springfield! Reports of young Black women being assaulted by Black men are rising at an alarming rate. DV incidents often go unreported due to fear, stigma, and a lack of trust in the system, therefore rates of victimization could be exceedingly higher. Soaring domestic violence cases: The number of domestic violence cases in Springfield is skyrocketing, placing an immense burden on the court system and straining resources. The high rate of cases and the High dismissal rates are Shocking. Many domestic violence cases involving Black men are dismissed in both municipal and common pleas courts. This sends a dangerous message that such violence is tolerated or even condoned. Serial offenders: Multiple individuals with histories of domestic violence are roaming free in Springfield, perpetuating a cycle of abuse and terrorizing the community. Gun violence connection: A clear link exists between domestic violence and gun violence, creating an even more volatile and deadly situation. Bottom Line: Despite the overwhelming evidence, there seems to be a reluctance among Black community leaders and government officials to acknowledge the severity of this crisis. This inaction is not just a political failure; it's a moral one. By failing to address this issue head-on, they are complicit in the suffering of countless individuals and families. The silence surrounding this crisis is deafening. It's time for the Black community to break the silence, demand accountability, and advocate for meaningful solutions. It's time for government leaders to step up, allocate resources, and implement policies that protect the most vulnerable. This crisis is a complex issue, however there are answers to decrease this increasing perpetuation of violence. The first step towards a solution is acknowledging the problem and having the courage to confront it. Springfield, Ohio, can no longer afford to ignore the cries for help. It's time to take action and break the cycle of violence that is tearing the Black community apart.

SPRINGFIELD DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COALITION - POLICY PAPER In this country, 31 million crimes are reported every year. That is one every second out of every 60 minutes. There is a murder every five minutes. There is a rape every five minutes. There is a sexual assault every nine seconds in this country. This paper will discuss how to use victim-centric techniques to enhance Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) on-scene and follow-up investigations, use sustainable best practices to increase survivors' safety and aid successful prosecution. We will discuss these methods for bringing calm to chaos through police reports and affidavits, presenting the importance of capturing and documenting Intimate Partner Violence dynamics of control and fear and using effective police report writing language. Crimes Against Women involving intimate partners are not only some of the most complex to investigate but also the most difficult for law enforcement to translate into words. A woman is assaulted by someone who told her that they loved her, by someone who told her it was her fault, by someone who tries to tell the rest of us that it is none of our business. We need to call that perpetrator a liar! INTRODUCTION First, one must understand the complexities of a domestic violence investigation and how that might differ from other crimes. We must first start with part of the label of saying that they are intimate partners and that, by design, lends to keeping things concealed. Research has demonstrated that victim concealment of these types of crimes can be for many reasons. Research will also show that most survivors either did not call the police or did not call the police, hoping to become a part of the criminal justice system. The Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) survivor does not owe us anything. Often, law enforcement receives a call for service because someone in the immediate area has called out of concern or the victim of the violence called for law enforcement because what was happening was too scary or overwhelmed their normal coping abilities. They needed or wanted help at that moment. Thus, law enforcement needs to be able to go to the incident reported, meet the survivors where they are, and understand that there may be times when victims will not engage with law enforcement. Furthermore, the victim may not participate in a prosecutorial investigation. In that moment, law enforcement must attempt to keep the focus on not overwhelming a situation and reframe it to prevent the situation from becoming even more intense. The type of law enforcement training that is the hardest is talking about intimate partner violence. Dealing with a non-participating survivor is not like a homicide, where the victim can no longer speak. In those cases, law enforcement does not simply give up and say there is no cooperation from the victim because they cannot or refuse to talk with law enforcement. In Intimate partner violence, law enforcement needs to focus on what the evidence presents and what the crime scene presents. It is vitally important to approach an IPV incident and process the layers in the investigation to learn more about what may have occurred at that moment and the events that led up to the incident. The research reveals that law enforcement often suspends everyday investigative practices regarding IPV, and then it is commonly used for other crimes. For example, law enforcement will collect evidence to assess the scene of a burglary-related crime. They will ask questions about what happened before the crime occurred. They will ask the victim when they leave the property. Did the victim lock the doors? They will ask the victim what time they returned to the property. When did the victim discover this crime occurred? Was the window broken, or did someone break in through the door? For example, in most sexual assault crime cases, a detective arrives at the crime scene and meets with the victim within the proximity of the occurrence. Law enforcement will probably focus on collecting evidence at a scene, collecting evidence from the victim through medical evaluations, or even collecting evidence on or around the perpetrator.  For example, in crimes of child abuse, there is a similar protocol in sexual assault crime case response. The difference would be that law enforcement will investigate things like grooming and use protocol of recognizable grooming concepts, and that process will be part of the investigation.  Why are there still issues with the City of Springfield and Clark County law enforcement with Domestic Violence investigations? Why do prosecutors still expect that all of the evidence must depend on the statements of the parties involved and on the victim's testimony? Why does the prosecutor's case come down to what she said and what he said? The data will show that the relationship between a disposition of dismissal and disposition of guilty depend on the survivor providing the evidence, often when they do not want to. Why is the victim's credibility, and the ability to testify the defining factor?. In most IPV criminal cases, the data will show that the victim is disadvantaged when law enforcement arrives at an incident. First, when law enforcement arrives, the abuser is very calm and collected, and the survivor is very dramatic and very emotional, and both subjects do not have chronological recollection. However, where most law enforcement fails is the understanding that the abuser is the person who is in control. They are the puppet masters. Abusers have no reason to be emotional and upset like a survivor. The data will show that law enforcement unfairly often Judge victims, and that's why most victims aren't believed because at the incident, law enforcement perceives the victim as not making sense, and law enforcement does not take into account the reasons why that might be. Law enforcement needs to rely more heavily on the process and protocols of a homicide investigation, use those accepted practices used in other types of crimes, and thoroughly investigate not only what is happening at the crime scene but all of those other things they might investigate. Law enforcement should start by questioning the abuser and victim as to what was leading up to events. Law enforcement needs to get away from discarding verbal accounts and use those verbal accounts to make decisions.   LAW ENFORCEMENT BODY-WORN CAMERA (EBWC) The EBWC can give us a sense of what happened on a scene. EBWC can capture a tearful survivor, and a survivor who is very distraught. The officer's body-worn camera works better than photos and can capture those moments. EBWC, at the very least, can aid in the investigative processes. It gives the courts a grand picture, not just of the event that occurred that night, but the movie that shows the interaction of lives. When law enforcement arrives at scenes or homes with EBWC, a domestic disturbance captured on EBWC is like taking a police report.  IMPORTANCE OF INTENTIONAL LANGUAGE Law enforcement and first responders are usually the first to report a crime. The importance of intentional language in police reports for investigators is 100% essential to getting it right on the scene, and the opportunities for things to go well from there are lessened. The investment in training is providing awareness to line officers that they can and are ready to conduct thorough investigations to allow them to make informed decisions—furthermore, training on how to accurately record what they did and what they saw on a scene. Training should strongly encourage responders to avoid writing just summaries, to be able to detail events and break down in documentation what they saw on scene. For example, what were the demeanors of the parties? What did they say? What did they not say? What did they answer? What would they not answer? When someone provides a non-responsive reply, keep documenting the interview and documenting questions such as asking the offender how things escalated into things getting physical. If a suspect states, "Well, I would never hurt her"? Document that the offender's reply did not answer the question. In all investigations, law enforcement may overlook things, and it is essential not to avoid going back and asking more questions. Again, understand and realize offenders do not answer the exact question of what was asked of them. This interview conduct should be reflected in the initial report because that demonstrates the offender's lack of participation. Documenting this questioning will draw out the suspect to show the court and prosecutor the purposeful intent of the offender to mislead and confuse the investigation. Unlike other types of crimes, for IPV, there is a need to have a stronger emphasis on making sure law enforcement reports are getting it right. In those cases where someone is not participating in the investigation, limiting participation, or just isn't interpreting what had occurred, don't evaluate things and simply fall back and report that someone is a victim or a suspect. Make sure that when documenting both parties, judgmental language is not added. It is essential to provide accurate depictions of the conversations, and the information subjects provide because bias can very easily go into a report.  When and if a case eventually ends up in a courtroom in front of a Judge as a type of domestic violence, is it necessary for the Judge to know about these crimes? Commonly, first-line responders and investigators interact with Judges at the phase of probable cause. It is important to remember that Judges can only assess probable cause based on the four corners of the probable cause affidavit. Therefore, write a few things down within the affidavit and then sit and converse verbally with the Judge. First, Judges need to be able to assess all the written things throughout the law enforcement report, precisely probable cause. The report must say a crime occurred at a location within our jurisdiction at a specified time or time range.  Second, when developing probable cause, tell how law enforcement knew a crime occurred. For domestic violence cases, introduce the relationship, not just one way they are related, but all the ways they are related. For example, the report can mention the victim was dating the offender, living with the offender, in a former relationship, and the victim is the biological mother of the child. The report can state the victim and offender are members of the same household and define the family relationship. A defendant could dispute any of those, but it would be tough to dispute them all.  Third, by including an accurate depiction of what the involvement is regarding IPV, then telling the story of the event, and showing what crime occurred, presents a logical sequence of events. Furthermore, stating that the victim also reported these things that have happened in the past is a must in all reporting. Presenting this information and being able to tell the Judge and prosecutor, "We have these past incidents in our archives at our agency - all of these reports." Establish a noticeable pattern where the offenses increase frequency and escalate into more violence. The Judge and prosecutor must know that law enforcement has been at the location before or has arrested the offender under the same circumstances. The conversation should detail a total and count of these occurrences, the number of times within the past month, past six months, and past year, and, in Springfield's case, the number of lifetime occurrences. Recording this data might tell a Judge that some things are dangerous for the victim.  IPV LETHALITY SCREENING Some agencies have an assault victim statement that can be completed anytime there is a domestic violence assault. Included with the assault victim statement is a lethality screening, which can be included in a probable cause affidavit. These lethality screenings provide bullet points of the questions that a victim answered affirmatively. The Judge would get the questions and then the survivor's response to the lethality screening. Therefore, law enforcement provides more information and context for the Judge. For example, The question might be phrased, Does the offender have a gun? Can the offender obtain a Gun quickly? Note that there is a difference between getting a gun and having one. However, the Judge can assess all of those things. The ability to provide the Judge and prosecutor with all the information that shows that this individual is doing scary or dangerous things is essential. Furthermore, including things like the offender's criminal history is especially important because it gives opportunities for enhancements in certain crimes based on prior convictions. Criminal history also gives the Judge a well-rounded picture, not only for the relationship and the dynamics between the two parties but also for the individual victim. Doing so allows the  Judge to accurately discern whether probable cause exists and then use that information to issue a protective order. The Judge can also make decisions on whether to issue bond orders. Furthermore, when days, weeks, months, or later, an attorney might come back to the court requesting their client to be released on bond, and the Judge can then access the assault victim's statement and Lethality Screening potentially to assess whether or not that would be appropriate. ADMISSIBLE EVIDENCE Most officers think that whatever they do and everything they gain on a Domestic Violence crime scene is going to be admissible in the trial, and that is true. What is and is not admissible is sometimes how things can be conditional and learning about special laws that were in effect specific to domestic violence. For example, things like showing patterns of the abuse could potentially be admitted into the guilt-innocence phase of a trial, where it is most likely going to be used in a punishment. Unlike other crimes where the defendant will have a DWI and the person has already been convicted a couple of times. The jury will not know that information because they assess whether they are guilty or innocent in that particular event. There is the potential for some of those criminal patterns to be introduced. Responding to a crime scene, whether it was a domestic disturbance or maybe an assault, law enforcement must still thoroughly investigate, document, and capture those dynamics; that is information that might later play into one of these cases where it might be appropriate for that information to come in a trial where there was a physical assault or some other type of crime. Other things where an officer might be able to testify about things that might otherwise be hearsay because a defendant has influenced the survivor's participation to come and testify in court. Being able to capture those things and some things like that could be viewed as showing signs of intimidation on the scene or from the jail call instructing the victim to complete an affidavit of non-prosecution. In some cases, non-testimony is as simple as the offender professing that they will change or love their victim. However, law enforcement officers must acknowledge that with certain serial offenders, there is potential for the unavailability of a victim to come forward; the job of law enforcement is to collect any and everything present during those incidents and interactions that allow prosecutors to have a better and fair evaluation of what is going on to develop their trial strategies.  CONCLUSION We have to consider that every IPV victim's experiences are different, and we have to consider that sometimes, officers are responding and going from call to call, and they may forget some things. So, being able to go one step further and provide those details is incredibly helpful. As more investigations pass law enforcement should be still determining where one piece will connect to another, and it may not be today, during this event. However, because IPV is not isolated to single events, it could be something potentially years later. How can investigators recognize this type of situation and approach their investigation? Again, law enforcement should not think of the most minimal way to describe an IPV incident. Providing only summary reports opens the possibility of the wrong person being arrested, and when a survivor is arrested, most frequently, the victim will never trust police again and always will refer to this incident and never cooperate. Therefore, it is best  going back through all of the components of having a thorough investigation. Moreover, limiting investigations to verbal statements, not looking at crime scenes, or not taking advantage of a crime scene leaves only limited information to decide the fate of the victim being re-offended. Research shows that abusers typically have a way to abuse, specifically whether it's a physical assault, strangulation, or property damage, and we know that those things continue sometimes with different partners. Just like all serial criminals, domestic violence abusers have learned practices. Abusers are great at finding something that works for them, just like carpenters with specific tools they use in everyday life. When IPV criminals abuse, they are abusing in a way that whatever they are doing, they like to use those methods as well. When writing reports, it is essential to understand the tools abusers use, especially when determining the predominant aggressor. Use a victim statement to investigate the historical events of what has happened in the past to investigate that crime scene. Investigate the frequency of 911 calls and identify and interview witnesses so that it is as informed as possible when making a decision.  Beth Donahue Executive Director

Notorious serial offenders like Gary Ridgway (The Green River Killer), Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Dennis Rader (BTK Killer), and Jeffrey Dahmer have become household names due to the heinous nature of their crimes (Morton, 2005). While these individuals represent extreme cases, the phenomenon of serial offending extends beyond these well-known examples. Serial killers, rapists, pedophiles, and domestic violence offenders share common characteristics, motivations, and behavioral patterns....Download PDF for more

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