Grant Funds Police Domestic Abuse Unit

The Ventura Police Department has received a $150,000 federal grant to improve the department’s response to domestic violence calls.

The grant, from the Community Policing to Combat Domestic Violence program, will establish a domestic violence unit within the department. The new unit will consist of a full-time officer who will serve as investigator and coordinator, following up on all cases with the victims, the district attorney’s office and the probation department.

In addition, a Domestic Violence Reduction Team will be dispatched along with officers to reported incidents. Team members will include volunteers from the Coalition Against Household and Sexual Violence, a community-based advocacy agency, who have been trained in crisis intervention and victim assistance and can help victims with their emotional, psychological, health and safety needs.