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Domestic Services Unit Mission
To provide quality police intervention in domestic matters. We care about
your family and your well being. Domestic incidents ranging from physical to
sexual abuse are serious matters that require professional assistance. The
police department seeks to carefully intervene and provide the best solution for
the safety of your entire family.
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Domestic Service Unit Functions |
Information |
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
- About Our Domestic Services Unit
- Domestic/Family Violence Investigations
- Elder Abuse Investigations
- Child Abuse Investigations
- Sexual Abuse/Rape Investigations
- Teenage Dating & Violence Investigations
- Domestic Incidents - Well-Being Checks
- "Safe-House/Shelter" Relocation
- Police Officer Actions -
Domestic Violence
- Other Services/Functions
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Contact Information |
Directions/All Phones/Email |
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Your Rights Under 209A
You have the right to appear at the District Court, Probate and Family
Court or Superior Court, if you reside within the appropriate
jurisdiction, and file a complaint requesting any of the following
applicable orders:
- an order restraining your attacker from abusing you;
- an order directing your attacker to leave your household, building
or workplace;
- an order awarding you custody of a minor child;
- an order directing your attacker to pay support for you or any minor
child in your custody, if the attacker has a legal obligation of
support, and;
- an order directing your attacker to pay you for losses suffered as a
result of abuse, including medical and moving expenses, loss of earnings
or support, costs for restoring utilities and replacing locks,
reasonable attorney's fees and other out-of-pocket losses for injuries
and property damage sustained.
For an emergency on weekends, holidays, or weeknights, the police will
refer you to a justice of the District Court, Probate and Family Court or
Superior Court departments.
You have the right to go to the appropriate District Court to seek a
criminal complaint for threats, assault and battery, assault with a deadly
weapon, assault with intent to kill or other related offenses.
If you are in need of medical treatment, you have the right to request
that an officer present drive you to the nearest hospital or otherwise
assist you in obtaining medical treatment.
If you believe that police protection is needed for your physical
safety, you have the right to request that the officer present remain at
the scene until you and your children can leave or until your safety is
otherwise ensured. You may also request that the officer assist you in
locating and taking you to a safe place, including but not limited to a
designated meeting place for a shelter or a family member's or a friend's
residence, or a similar place of safety.
You may request a copy of the police incident report at no cost from
the police department.
MA General Law, Chapter 209A Section 6
Whenever a law officer has reason to believe that a family or household member has been
abused or is in danger of being abused, such officer shall use all reasonable means to
prevent further abuse.
The officer shall take, but not limited to the following action:
- remain on the scene of where said abuse occurred or was in danger of occurring as long
as the officer has reason to believe that at least one of the parties involved would be in
immediate danger without the presence of a law officer. This shall include, but not
limited to remaining in the dwelling for a reasonable period of time;
- assist the abused person in obtaining medical treatment necessitated by an assault,
which may include driving the victim to the emergency room of the nearest hospital, or
arranging for appropriate transportation to a health care facility, notwithstanding any
law to the contrary;
- assist the abused person in locating and getting to a safe place, including but not
limited to a designated meeting place for a shelter or a family member's or friend's
residence. The officer shall consider the victim's preference in this regard and what is
reasonable under all the circumstances.
- give such person immediate and adequate notice of his or her rights. Such notice shall
consist of handing said person a copy of the statement which follows below and reading the
same to said person. Where said person's native language is not English, the statement
shall be then provided in said person's native language whenever possible.
You have the right to appear at the Superior, Probate and Family,
District or Boston Municipal Court, if you reside within the appropriate jurisdiction, and
file a complaint requesting any of the following applicable orders:
(a) an order restraining your attacker from abusing you;
(b) an order directing your attacker to leave your household, building or
workplace;
(c) an ordering awarding you custody of a minor child;
(d) an order directing your attacker to pay support for you or any minor child in
your custody, if the attacker has a legal obligation of support, and;
(e) an order directing your attacker to pay you for losses suffered as a result of
abuse, including medical and moving expenses, loss of earnings or support, costs for
restoring utilities and replacing locks, reasonable attorney's fees and other
out-of-pocket losses for injuries and property damage sustained.
For an emergency on weekends, holidays, or weeknights the police will refer you to a
justice of the superior, probate and family, district, or Boston municipal court
departments.
You have the right to go to the appropriate District Court to seek a criminal complaint
for threats, assault and battery, assault with a deadly weapon, assault with intent to
kill or other related offenses.
If you are in need of medical treatment, you have the right to request that an officer
present drive you to the nearest hospital or otherwise assist you in obtaining medical
treatment.
If you believe that police protection is needed for your physical safety, you have the
right to request that the officer present remain at the scene until you and your children
can leave or until your safety is otherwise ensured. You may also request that the officer
assist you in locating and taking you to a safe place, including but not limited to a
designated meeting place for a shelter or a family member's or a friend's residence, or a
similar place of safety.
You may request a copy of the police incident report at no cost from the police
department.
The officer shall leave a copy of the foregoing statement with such person before leaving
the scene or premises. |
- assist such person by activating the emergency judicial system when the court is closed
for business;
- inform the victim that the abuser will be eligible for bail and may be promptly
released; and
- arrest any person a law officer witnesses or has probable cause to believe has violated
a temporary or permanent vacate, restraining, or no-contact order or judgment issued
pursuant to section 18, 34B or 34C of chapter 208, section 32 of chapter 209, section 3,4
and 5 of this chapter, or sections 15 or 20 of chapter 209C.
When there are no vacate, restraining, or no-contact orders or judgments in effect,
arrest shall be the preferred response whenever an officer witnesses or has probable cause
to believe that a person:
(a) has committed a felony;
(b) has committed a misdemeanor involving abuse as defined in section one of this chapter;
(c) has committed an assault and battery in violation of section 13A of chapter 265.
The safety of the victim and any involved children shall be paramount in any decision
to arrest. Any officer arresting both parties must submit a detailed, written report in
addition to an incident report, setting forth the grounds for dual arrest.
No law officer investigating an incident of domestic violence shall threaten, suggest, or
otherwise indicate the arrest of all parties for the purpose of discouraging requests for
law enforcement intervention by any party.
No law officer shall be held liable in any civil action regarding personal injury or
injury to property brought by any party to a domestic violence incident for an arrest
based on probable cause when such officer acted reasonably and in good faith and in
compliance with this chapter and the statewide policy as established by the secretary of
public safety.
Whenever any law officer investigates an incident of domestic violence, the officer shall
immediately file a written incident report in accordance with the standards of the
officer's law enforcement agency and, wherever possible, in the form of the National
Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), as defined by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation. The latter information may be submitted voluntarily by the local police on
a monthly basis to the crime reporting unit of the criminal history systems board.
The victim shall be provided a copy of the full incident report at no cost upon request to
the appropriate law enforcement department.
When a judge or other person authorized to take bail bails any person arrested under the
provisions of this chapter, he shall make reasonable efforts to inform the victim of such
release prior to or at the time of said release.
When any person charged with or arrested for a crime involving abuse under this chapter is
released from custody, the court or emergency response judge shall issue, upon the request
of the victim, a written no-contact order prohibiting the person charged or arrested from
having any contact with the victim and shall use all reasonable means to notify the victim
immediately of release from custody. The victim shall be given at no cost a certified copy
of the no-contact order.
Resources - Domestic Violence
Portal To Hope
Serves victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking crimes.
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Telephone: (781) 306-6678
Medford Office: Lawrence Memorial Hospital, 170 Governors Ave., Medford, MA
02155 |
| Domestic Violence Ended - DOVE |
http://www.doveinc.net/
Hotline - (888) 314 - DOVE |
| Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance |
617-727-5200 |
| Massachusetts Coalition of Battered Women |
617-248-0922 |
Service Groups: Victim Compensation &
Assistance Department of Social Services |
617-727-2200 617-727-3171 ext. 551 |
| Domestic Violence Unit - When persons under 18 are
involved - Child |
800-792-5200 |
At-Risk Hotline Disabled Persons Protection
Commission When disabled persons between the ages of 18 & 59 are
involved. 24 Hour hotline |
800-426-9009 |
Department of Public Health Division of Health Care
Quality When residents of nursing homes or other long term care
facilities are involved. 24 hour hotline |
800-462-5540 |
Department of Elder Affairs When persons over 60 years
of age or older are involved. 24 hour hotline |
800-922-2275 |
Child Witness to Violence Project Boston Medical
Center |
617-534-5000 |
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SafeLink A Project of Casa Myrna Vasquez Statewide 24 hour
domestic violence hotline |
1-877-785-2020 1-877-521-2601 TTY |
Asian Shelter & Advocacy Project 24 hour
hotline |
617-338-2355 |
| HAWC - Help for Abused Woman & Their Children |
978-744-6841 |
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