July 19, 2007 -- Following through on his campaign promise, Attorney General Paul Morrison announced today the creation of his new Domestic Violence Unit and the addition of a lead Domestic Violence Prosecutor.
Morrison has spent more than twenty-five years as a prosecutor fighting domestic abuse. As Johnson County District Attorney, he developed a nationally recognized domestic violence program that lowered the county’s homicide rate. Last year, Morrison committed to expand a similar program statewide.
“When I ran for Attorney General, I promised that Kansas would become more involved in addressing the challenging issue of domestic violence,” Morrison said. “I’m happy to announce that the Attorney General’s Domestic Violence Unit is now up and running and ready to help Kansas families.”
Morrison introduced Assistant Attorney General Jacqie Spradling as the new leader of the Domestic Violence Unit and the lead prosecutor on domestic violence cases in the Attorney General’s Office. Local prosecutors can now request assistance from the Domestic Violence Unit on these types of cases.
“Jacqie is an expert in this field and a highly respected prosecutor who has spent over a decade putting domestic abusers behind bars,” Morrison said. “She has also trained law enforcement and prosecutors for years on investigating and building strong cases to achieve a guilty verdict.”
The Attorney General’s Office has also developed an extensive domestic violence training program for prosecutors across the state. Starting this fall, Spradling will train prosecutors how best to handle these unique cases from beginning to end. She will also work hand-in-hand with law enforcement officers, sharing expertise on how best to investigate domestic violence crimes.
“This unit will make the Attorney General’s Office a top resource for prosecutors and law enforcement across the state on the issue of domestic violence,” Morrison said. “We can do a better job protecting Kansas families if we increase awareness of domestic violence.”
The Attorney General’s Office will also develop BEST practices for law enforcement officers and prosecutors on how to handle domestic abuse calls, arrests and criminal cases. They will send the new Domestic Violence Manual to every law enforcement office in the state this fall.
“As I said last year, we can make a difference in the safety of our families if we recognize the serious problem of domestic violence,” Morrison said. “It plagues every city and every town. It puts our children in danger and jeopardizes our communities.”
An Online Domestic Violence Resource Center has also been added to the Attorney General’s Web site to increase awareness and assist victims of domestic violence. These materials include information about how to spot the signs of domestic abuse, the cycle of violence, contact information for domestic violence programs and much more.
“Domestic violence affects every community in our state,” Morrison said. “The tools on our Web site will assist victims and help their friends and co-workers better identify the symptoms and help stop this cycle of abuse.”
The Attorney General’s Office is already working with Governor Kathleen Sebelius on her Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board. They are also working on a grant through the Governor’s Office to help develop training on specific topics, like the mandatory arrest statute and protection from abuse orders.
The Domestic Violence Unit is also working to secure grant moneys to offer more assistance to communities and provide additional resources to local domestic violence shelters.
“Our goal will always be to do everything possible to keep our families safe, stop domestic abuse and end the cycle of violence that threatens our communities,” Morrison said. “This issue has always been very important to me. As Kansas Attorney General, I will remain focused on keeping our families safe from abuse.”