The Domestic Violence (D.V.) Investigative Section investigates all felony incidents within Domestic Violence; this includes battery, strangulation, protective order violations, criminal mischief, and hit-skip incidents.  This unit also works non-life-threatening shootings and stabbings.  The D.V. unit works very closely with the Victims Assistance Unit of the FWPD.The D.V. Section is partially funded by a STOP grant from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute that helps supplement the Police Departments personnel costs, as well as a Victims Advocate position that is assigned to the Victims Assistance Unit. Cases are received from three different avenues: Preliminary Investigations, 48 hr. Follow-up, and the Referral system.

There continues to be changes to the Indiana domestic laws. Domestic/family violence dynamics are always difficult to investigate and pursue as family issues, along with victims and witnesses who are afraid of the retaliation from the suspects.  Victims also fear losing their partners, their incomes and their children.  Most often these crimes occur inside out of public view so lack of on- scene witnesses will hamper prosecution.  The laws and procedures are constantly changing making it difficult to prosecute and hold offenders accountable.  With the influx of social media, there are more and more requirements of forensics to prosecute.

Dating and Domestic Violence Brochure