SPD address intimate partner violence

The upcoming month of October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. According to the Wyoming Department of Health an astounding 33.9% of women and 30.5% of men in the Cowboy State have experienced intimate partner physical violence, sexual violence, or stalking in their lifetimes. In 2019 alone there were over two thousand reported domestic violence incidents with 88% classified as assaults with most of these cases being perpetrated by current or former spouses or partners (65%).

During a recent appearance on Sheridan Media’s Public Pulse, Sheridan Police Department Captain Tom Ringley and Lieutenant James Hill spoke on intimate partner violence, a specific category of domestic violence. 

Intimate partner violence makes up a large portion of the violent crime in Sheridan, according to Hill. 

Over the past five years, the SPD has responded to an average of 103 intimate partner domestic calls each year. SPD responded to 100 incidents of domestic violence in 2022.

According to Ringley, SPD officers investigate these types of crimes with professional and thorough investigations. Ringley said the SPD has a specific tiered program to intervene. If an officer contacts a couple and no evidence of violence is discovered, then involved parties are given an informational brochure with a list of resources that may be helpful, such as job assistance and substance abuse counseling.

Should evidence be discovered then an arrest is made and the victim is referred to the Advocacy and Resource Center. Officers then work with prosecutors to build a strong case against the offender. Cases are built and evidence gathered so that these cases may be able to be brought to court even if the victim is absent. 

Ringley informed listeners of the various types of offenses seen in the course of domestic violence investigations. 

Sheridan Media will have more stories addressing the issues of domestic violence in future stories.
If you are in need of help, call the Advocacy and Resource Center at 307-672-3222 or in the case of an emergency, dial 911. To learn more, click here.