DELAWARE STATE POLICE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNIT
Sergeant Scott McCarthy
The Delaware State Police Domestic Violence Unit was established in December 1996. The Domestic Violence Unit members are staffed at each of the three criminal investigation troops. Sergeant John Maher is in charge of the unit at Troop 2, Sergeant Michael Cosgrove at Troop 3, and Sergeant Daniel Sponaugle at Troop 4. The units are under the direction of the Domestic Violence Policy/Training Coordinator, Sergeant Randy Fisher, who is assigned to Headquarters. The criminal investigation unit administrators supervise daily investigative functions and personnel issues for unit members at their troops. Unit members are available twenty-four hours a day to respond to critical or complicated cases.
The primary objective of the unit is to review domestic incidents investigated by patrol officers to identify relationships at risk. The unit investigates serious domestic violence cases, conducts follow-up investigations, makes appropriate referrals to advocates, and promotes victim awareness of domestic violence.
The Domestic Violence Unit Coordinator collaborates with the Victim Services Unit, the Attorney General’s Office, the Delaware Division of Probation and Parole, the Domestic Violence Coordinating Council, the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence and other advocacy groups to ensure the safety of all involved and hold the offender accountable. The coordinator is also responsible for instructing recruits, providing in-service training on domestic violence and developing policy to ensure victim safety. Unit members also serve on multi-disciplinary committees to address issues of domestic violence fatalities, legislation, training and child protection.
In 2008, the Domestic Violence Unit was awarded a federal grant to train law enforcement officers both in state and out of state. In April training was conducted on investigating domestic related homicides. The training was attended by over 160 Delaware law enforcement officers. Three Delaware officers also attended national training in California on the topic of domestic violence. In December 2008 training was held on the topic of Self Defense/Predominant Aggressor and Officer Involved Domestic Violence.
In February 2008 the Domestic Violence Unit Coordinator along with the Director of Victim Services attended the IACP National Law Enforcement Trainer Development Program on Violence Against Women in South Carolina.
The Domestic Violence Unit along with the Victim Services Unit held the Fifth Annual Domestic Violence Awareness Motorcycle Ride on May 3, 2008. Over 200 riders participated in the event. During 2008, the Domestic Violence Unit received over 10,000 combined cases of criminal and non-criminal domestic incidents statewide for review, follow-up and referral.
- Information obtained from 2008 DSP Annual Report -
