New domestic violence resource for Ohio police officers

By Nadia Ramlagan

A new statewide training initiative and handbook for police officers are aimed at improving responses to domestic violence in Ohio.

The handbook includes information on legislation, the link between domestic violence and animal abuse, issues raised by video from body-worn cameras, how to determine the primary aggressor, dual arrests and other concerns.

Alicia Williamson, senior director of survivor services for the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, said the handbook was last updated more than two decades ago.

"We're also making sure that our officers are knowing how to actually reach out to our domestic violence programs because responding to the immediate crisis is only one part of helping survivors reach safety," Williamson explained.

The Ohio Domestic Violence Network is collaborating with the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services, the Columbus Division of Police and Forensic Nursing Network Inc. The coalition will provide a series of upcoming training sessions for police officers, offering tools to identify nonfatal strangulation and hidden injuries, enforce protection orders and navigate victims’ rights. The first session is being held Nov. 18. More information can be found at ODVN.org.

Williamson added when officers respond to domestic violence, they are not just responding to an incident, they are responding to a person whose life may be in danger and their response to trauma may not fit known stereotypes. She noted the handbook features best practices for investigating and prosecuting intimate partner violence and crimes in a trauma-informed manner to support victim healing.

"Being able to recognize a possible strangulation injury, asking a question differently because of an understanding of trauma, or connecting a survivor to a resource," Williamson outlined.

Ohio recorded 157 domestic violence-related fatalities between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, according to data from the Ohio Domestic Violence Network.