The Utah Legislature is considering a bill that would require law enforcement officers to conduct a lethality assessment when responding to reports of intimate partner violence – but its passage wouldn’t change much in Summit County, where deputies have been conducting the questionnaire for more than half a decade.
Around 2015, Summit County Sheriff’s Office deputies began collaborating with victim advocates and organizations committed to ending domestic violence, such as Peace House, to help bridge gaps in service and incorporate protocols surrounding domestic abuse.
“We saw it as a way to help bridge that gap,” Detective Jayme Woody said. “We were seeing a space where we weren’t connecting. We were doing what we needed to do, and we were doing our job, but there was also that area where victims weren’t seeming to get the services they needed. There was a better way to serve their needs by incorporating this.”
The work included developing training to help law enforcement officers determine who the predominant aggressor is and creating a trauma-centered survey that helps deputies assess the potential risk to life, which could soon be required under state law if Senate Bill 117 is passed.
The legislation requires officers to ask victims in domestic violence cases specific questions such as whether the aggressor has ever used or threatened to use a weapon, if the aggressor has ever threatened to kill the victim or their children and whether the victim fears for their life. Other questions include whether the aggressor has a gun or could easily access one, if the aggressor has a history of getting violent or jealous, whether those involved have ever been separated after living together and whether the aggressor follows the victim or leaves threatening messages.
Summit County deputies similarly screen reports of domestic violence. Once the protocol was developed, Woody said, patrol deputies learned how to ask questions and approach people in a way that didn’t make the situation feel like a criminal matter. Deputies also underscore the danger a victim may be in if they were to screen in and deputies would offer resources that can help the individual leave their abuser.
Kendra Wyckoff, the executive director of Peace House, said the protocol also requires deputies to make a call to a 24/7 shelter-based victim service provider so an advocate can begin immediate safety planning.
“In our community, Peace House is the organization on the other end of the line with our law enforcement partners,” she said.
S.B. 117 would similarly require law enforcement officers to refer an individual to resources, such as a victim advocacy group, if they answer yes to any of the questions in the lethality assessment survey.
The bill would also provide funding to a private police database designed to help officers recognize repeated cases of domestic violence. Woody said reports of abuse in Summit County are always documented, which allows dispatchers to see any prior history and immediately inform responding deputies of it.
Typically, Summit County Dispatch receives a domestic report and relays the information to the deputies, usually more than one, who are responding. The investigation starts when they arrive, and deputies speak with the reporting party as well as those involved in the incident, if they’re different. Deputies separate the parties while they recount what happened and observe how the individuals act as well as the power dynamics between them. Law enforcement also looks for physical evidence, such as physical marks or property damage.
Deputies inform an individual when they screen as high danger in the lethality assessment. Then, partners work to educate them about resources that are available to help them leave their abuser. Wyckoff said it can be difficult for a survivor to assess the level of risk in their situation when violence and abuse are normalized in their home or relationship.
The Sheriff’s Office, the Park City Police Department and the Heber City Police Department all collaborate with Peace House on the lethality assessment program. They also partner with the organization to provide safe housing and can transport survivors if they do not have a ride. Woody said deputies do everything they can to make it easier for someone to leave, including setting up boarding for their pets.
It can be challenging for deputies in a resort community to assist and monitor domestic incidents. The Sheriff’s Office responded to 157 domestic violence reports across Summit County in 2022. Many of those were first-time calls, Woody said, but several others were repeat cases.
“If someone calls, we go,” she said.
Wyckoff said Peace House has seen a 50% increase in the helpline since 2019. Last year, they answered over 1,300 calls and offered housing as well as other supportive services to 324 survivors. As the only domestic service provider in Summit County, Wyckoff said, the emergency shelter has consistently been at or near capacity.
Most law enforcement agencies in the state already use some form of lethality assessment, but S.B. 117 would create a standard protocol. Woody said the Sheriff’s Office is forward-thinking, and always considering new, innovative solutions, which led officials to adopt the program years ago.
“It is important for the person affected by abuse, law enforcement and an advocate to have a more in-depth picture of the situation a survivor is facing,” Wyckoff said.
The Utah Senate on Jan. 30 unanimously passed the bill. It received support from the parents of Gabby Petito, who was killed by her partner Brian Laundrie during a road trip in 2021, as well as Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, whose cousin Amanda Mayne was murdered in August by a man with whom she had a previous relationship. Wyckoff also spoke in support of S.B. 117 while it was in committee earlier this month.
The legislation was returned to the House Rules Committee on Feb. 8 due to the financial impact. The bill would appropriate around $1.7 million to the Utah Department of Public Safety annually as well as a one-time contribution of $100,000. If the state House ultimately passes the bill, it must be signed by Gov. Spencer Cox.
Wyckoff said the services offered by Peace House are not limited to those fleeing an abusive home. An individual does not have to be in high danger to get help.
Peace House provides two residential programs, an emergency shelter and transitional living, with support services such as clinical counseling, legal and housing advocacy, case management and specialized sexual assault advocacy. Staffers are also focused on outreach and education.
If you are looking for information, or if you or someone you know needs assistance, the Peace House helpline is open every day, at all hours. A trained advocate is always available to take your call at 1-800-647-9161.