Domestic Violence Situations Challenge North Texas Police
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Here in North Texas and across the country, domestic violence calls are one of the most dangerous for police. Experts say that's because the culprits often view officers as intruders in their personal affairs.
Jillian Smith, an officer with the Arlington Police Department, lost her life on December 28, 2010 after responding to a domestic violence call.
Melissa Person has been an officer with the Dallas Police Department for nine years and knows the dangers first hand.
As a former public relations representative, Officer Person is great with people. "I really try to go there with 'I want to solve your problem and I want to help you in anyway that I can,'" she explained.
But Officer Person says she never underestimates the potential for someone to turn violent, especially on calls to homes where families have been fighting. That was the scenario that Arlington Officer Smith walked into when she was killed while protecting an 11-year-old girl.
"I would've done exactly what she [Officer Smith] did," Officer Person said.
Officer Person has been in the spotlight as one of a handful of female officers on TLC's "Police Women of Dallas". Several episodes show Officer Person as she responds to domestic violence calls.
During the shooting of one episode, Officer Person arrives at the home of a feuding husband and wife. "They're fighting all day. She calls her sister. He just decides, he's tired of that crap and he pulls a gun on them," Person said in the video. That situation ended peacefully with Officer Person arresting the suspect and finding the gun, which was hidden under the couch.
While those episodes were videotaped during the summer, CBS 11 News was with Officer Person this winter as she headed out on another domestic violence call. Once she arrives, Person begins having a heated conversation with a father who believes his four-year-old may have been sexually abused. The father claims the abuse came at the hands of the little boy's older brother.
Now, the man wants to take the little boy to California. "I'm going to tell you right now. Don't run off with that kid," Officer Person urged.
During the conversation, the father is waving his hands and arms around. He's difficult to understand. "You're...not...listening...to me," the officer tells him.
The father, who has been working on a pickup truck engine, appears agitated. Officer Person decides to move his tools.
"Naw, you're not hearing me. I'm going to move these because I don't like how irate you're getting right now," she said.
The situation will come to a temporary end with no arrests and Officer Person leaving the scene, but she will end up searching for the man later, when the family calls again saying he threatened them with a gun.
With the Dallas Police Department in the television spotlight and the murder of Officer Smith in Arlington, domestic violence may be in the spotlight now, but police officers say any call could turn fatal. "There's some really violent situations that we go into and you just have to be ready," Officer Person said.
Click here to find some of the resources available for North Texas victims of domestic violence.
