Holts Summit Police Department touts success of new domestic violence investigator
HOLTS SUMMIT, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Holts Summit Police Department is touting its early success arrested domestic abusers after the creation of a position dedicated to those crimes.
Nearly seven weeks ago, the Holts Summit Police Department introduced a dedicated domestic violence investigator.
The city was awarded a two-year grant for $98,288.24. The city is required to put up a 25% match.
The department says it has seen "significant progress" in improving safety for domestic violence victims.
Between April 25-June 15, investigator Joshua Anderson has worked with the police department's patrol division and the prosecuting attorney's office on multiple cases.
The City of Holts Summit said in a news release Monday morning that 17 domestic violence cases have been, or are still being investigated since the position was created, resulting in eight arrests.
Additionally, two arrests are pending, one case has been referred to the Callaway County prosecuting attorney for review, two cases were administratively closed due to insufficient evidence and four cases are currently open and under investigation.
"We are immensely proud of the early successes of our Domestic Violence Investigator and his collaboration with the other officers at the police department to help bring these types of cases to the Callaway County Prosecuting Attorney’s office for prosecution," City Administrator Brandon Ruediger stated in the press release.
Investigator Joshua Anderson said the main goal is keeping the victims safe and making them feel heard.
"Our goals for this is to ensure that we're helping our victims and we're holding those responsible that are committing these crimes," he said.
Angela Hirsch, the executive director of the Jefferson City Rape and Abuse Crisis Service, said she and the clinic are pleased with the work being done by Holts Summit.
"Having this specialty, if you would, creates an environment where hopefully more victims will be willing to come forward and have that safety and security," Hirsch said. "That they don't have within their home or the environment that the violence has happened in, but also in the system itself."
