There’s no doubt you’ve either read, viewed on TV, or heard about the two most recent mass shootings in the Chicago area involving domestic violence. An arrest has been made of the husband in the Tinley Park mass shooting, where he killed several family members. In Joliet, the offender killed seven of his family members in addition to a random individual on the street and injured another individual who was shot but not killed.
I have written about domestic violence in the past, but this is an issue that is worth visiting again as we witness these horrific domestic violence homicides. I serve on two statewide domestic violence task forces, both gubernatorial appointments. One is the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Commission (https://govappointments.illinois.gov/boardsandcommissions/details) and the other is Domestic Violence (Colton’s) Task Force (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7503035/Woman-details-ex-husband-killed-baby-boy.html), which is a task force that was developed after the brutal murder of an 18-month-old boy in Joliet by the father.
I have long been a proponent of several domestic violence initiatives that have gained no traction legislatively and, in some cases, have even been opposed by other police chiefs and police executives throughout the state. The crime of domestic violence should be an automatic class 4 felony. Additionally, when a person is arrested for domestic battery, the individual should be held initially in custody and appear in front of a judge, who will determine whether that individual should be released.
Several issues give domestic violence victims and their families what I would consider false protection. First, the order of protection, a temporary order granted by a judge when there is a perceived possible recurrence of abuse, does not prevent domestic violence. The order of protection is designed so police officers can make arrests when an individual violates that order of protection, as any violation of the order makes an arrest much easier for the police. An order of protection does not provide a shield against further domestic violence. However, although this is the way it is presented to victims of domestic violence in some cases by well-meaning advocates, it is simply not true.
Furthermore, red flag laws in Illinois that petition for the confiscation of firearms and are designed to control gun violence are seldom used. This initiative got attention with great fanfare and was promoted as a substantial step toward reducing domestic violence.
The facts are that the law is rarely used in Illinois, the process is complicated, and police officers receive little training on filing the paperwork and making the red flag mechanism work. This law needs to be revised so that police can easily enforce these red flag laws, whether it’s 2 p.m. or 2 a.m. The courts, judges, and domestic violence initiatives have not proven successful when it comes to red flag laws.
So how do we handle these situations from a police perspective? It’s difficult for police to know what happens inside a home behind closed doors. But serious steps must be taken to patrol better and prevent domestic violence; more must be done to minimize repeat offenders and reduce police officers responding like machines, who just do what’s commonly referred to as “separate the parties” without taking enforcement action. This is a terrible way to police domestic violence.
When I was Police Chief in Riverside, I mandated that a supervisor attend all domestic violence calls. I know that’s not possible at every police agency, but we need to start to have accountability, even at the police level. I believe supervisors should respond to domestic violence calls to ensure they’re handled properly.
There are many other categories of crime where police departments mandate that supervisors respond to the scene; domestic violence should be added to that list. Police officers should be allowed by their agency policy to travel outside their jurisdictions if they need to make it as safe as possible for domestic violence victims and their families. That means if there is no shelter within a police jurisdiction, law enforcement needs to be able to transport the victims and the children to the closest location, and victims need to be put in immediate contact with legal help.
When officers respond to the call, a safety plan must be developed right there on the scene. This may require that officers be tied up for several hours, finding a safe haven and the right social services for the victim and the family. This should be allowed, and I know it will take the workforce off of suburban police departments who respond within their jurisdiction, but it is so essential that this happen. Officers should be allowed to maneuver this system for the victim’s benefit, to do whatever it takes, and to travel wherever they must go to make the situation safe. I know that’s controversial with many police leaders, but it must be done. If it is not, the consequences will be deadly.
It also needs to be common practice that we, as law enforcement, review records to determine how often we’ve responded to a domestic violence scene and what action was taken previously. Typically, the media and police will look at the number of calls for service to a specific address or involving a particular offender over time.
If there’s a clear pattern that police are responding and no enforcement action is taken, then there is a problem with policy and enforcement.
Domestic violence situations, indeed, are some of the most volatile calls police officers respond to, and quite frankly, police officers don’t like handling domestic violence situations. But it’s their job, so let’s ensure they do it right.
This may sound a little preachy and maybe negative. Still, with these recent mass murders, which were domestic-related, and then you throw in the incident that took place in Buffalo Grove in 2022, it is screamingly evident that a new approach, aggressive and on point, needs to happen throughout our state of Illinois.
Working as a governor-appointed member of two domestic violence task forces has highlighted several issues. One issue of note is that plenty of trained professional individuals want to help, but they’re not called on. I’ve listened to countless stories from task force members begging police agencies to reach out to them, use their services, and get them involved early on — yet in many communities this never happens.
In closing, stop thinking of domestic violence as some little spat between husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, or any other intimate relationship. I can tell you with certainty that when a domestic violence victim calls the police, it’s often a last resort. Domestic violence has likely been going on inside that household and within that relationship probably over a hundred times before the victim dares to pick up the phone and call 911. It’s never the first time.
If we continue down the same path we’ve been on, there’ll be more domestic violence murders and mass murders, and the victims will fill the morgue. And we’ll look at each other and ask, “What could we have done? What should we have done?”
I just outlined what can and must be done. Now let’s do it; let’s move forward.
Tom Weitzel is a graduate of Oak Park and River Forest High School and the retired police chief of the Riverside Police Department after 13 years as chief and 37 years in law enforcement. These opinions are his own.
