💔 Gov. Healey Announces Revisions to Domestic Violence Law Enforcement Guidelines

Today Govenor Healey’s office announced that the state’s Domestic Violence Law Enforcement Guidelines have been updated.

The guidelines are used by police when responding to domestic disputes.

According to the Govenor’s office the key updates include:

• Expanded legal definitions: Adds “coercive control” to the statutory definition of abuse under Chapter 209A to address non-physical tactics such as isolation, intimidation, and economic control.
• Enhanced dispatcher protocols: Clarifies 911 response procedures, prioritizing caller safety, two-officer dispatch, and accurate incident documentation.
• Victimology and trauma awareness: Expands guidance on partner-inflicted brain injury and trauma-informed response practices.
• Mandated reporting and child support: Updates procedures to strengthen support for children exposed to domestic violence and ensure compliance with reporting laws.
• Strangulation and stalking: Expands direction on strangulation response, documentation, and medical referral, and adds new information on stalking behaviors and risk assessment.
• Firearms law updates: Incorporates changes under the 2024 Modernizing Firearm Laws Act related to seizure, surrender, and risk-based response.
• Resource integration: Adds updated resource lists and hyperlinks throughout the document to improve access to services for both officers and victims.
• High-risk case model: Introduces a coordinated Domestic Violence High-Risk Model to strengthen interagency communication and enhance victim protection.

A copy of the updated guidelines is attached below.