Through an important partnership with the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), La Casa de las Madres provides training for law enforcement regarding the dynamics of domestic violence and the community resources available to assist both officers and victims. Local emergency services receive about 7,000 domestic violence calls for help each year. La Casa’s trainings are intended to help law enforcement personnel to identify victims’ needs and facilitate their access to supportive services.
Since 2010, we have joined with partner agencies to deliver a team-facilitated Elder Abuse and Domestic Violence in Later Life Training to over 500 officers at the SFPD Academy. The two-day advanced training curriculum teaches participants about the intersections of domestic violence and elder abuse, including the specific protections for victims of abuse ages 50 and above. Law enforcement personnel learn how to put this knowledge into play when investigating abuse so that victims can receive protection and support. The trainings represent a collaboration between the San Francisco Police Department, the City and County of San Francisco, the San Francisco Office of the District Attorney, Adult Protective Services, the Institute on Aging, and La Casa, and they are funded by the federal Office of Violence Against Women.
