Yorktown Police Begins Domestic Violence Partnership

The Yorktown Police Department is collaborating with Hope’s Door to enhance domestic violence interventions.

Yorktown joins five other northern Westchester County police departments that are working with Hope’s Door, a nonprofit organization that empowers domestic violence victims to achieve safety, independence and healing from the trauma of abuse.

“Domestic violence calls for assistance are among the most dangerous calls for service that police respond to on a daily basis,” said Chief Robert Noble. “Domestic violence is even more dangerous for the family members of a household, or, intimate dating partners of assailants, whose day to day lives are negatively impacted. The Yorktown Police Department’s partnership with Hope’s Door allows us to better protect and better provide services to victims of domestic violence. It sends a message to assailants that their violent behavior will not be overlooked. This partnership has already made a positive difference in the lives of multiple victims of domestic violence in the past few months and I am confident that it will continue to do so for years to come.”

As part of the new partnership, when Yorktown Police officers respond to a domestic dispute they will fill out a Domestic Violence Lethality Screen form. If anyone at the scene of a domestic dispute responds positively to the lethality questions about weapons or death threats, the case will be referred to a domestic violence liaison officer and service provider.

“Domestic violence happens in every community and it affects people of all ages, races and economic status,” said Supervisor Matt Slater. “As we heard at this week’s Town Board meeting, COVID has prevented victims from seeking help for many reasons but there is hope and help available for victims and their families.”

Hope’s Door offers counseling, advocacy and legal services for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking.  All of Hope’s Door’s services are provided free of charge to victims and survivors. The nonprofit is funded by private and corporate donors, as well as federal, state and county grants.

“Hope’s Door is so glad to have Yorktown join the Westchester County Domestic Violence High Risk Team and pledge their support to ending violence in the home through a coordinated systems approach,” said Hope’s Door executive director CarlLa Horton. “Each of us does so much, but putting all of us together – law enforcement with county agencies and town departments and domestic violence service providers – is a model that will save lives, improve safety for victims, and send a clear message to offenders that we will hold them accountable.”