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Legal Information: U.S. Virgin Islands

Statutes: Virgin Islands, U.S.

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Updated: 
November 15, 2023

93. Domestic Violence Report

(a) It shall be the duty of a police officer, or other peace officer, who responds to a domestic violence call to complete a Domestic Violence Report, which shall be made part of and attached to the Report of Crime Against Person or Property, and to forward a copy of the entire report to the Department of Justice and the Clerk of the Court of the Family Division of the Superior Court within five (5) days of the alleged incident.
 

(b) The Domestic Violence Report shall be on a form prescribed by the Police Commissioner which shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:
 

(1) The relationship of the parties;
 

(2) The sex of the parties;
 

(3) The time and date the complaint was received;
 

(4) The time the officer began investigation of the complaint;
 

(5) Whether children were involved, or whether the alleged act of domestic violence had been committed in the presence of children;
 

(6) The type and extent of abuse;
 

(7) The number and type of weapons involved;
 

(8) The amount of time involved in handling the case and the action taken by the police officer;
 

(9) The effective date and terms of an Order issued pursuant to this chapter concerning the parties; and
 

(10) Any other data that may be necessary for a complete analysis of all circumstances leading to the alleged incident of domestic violence.
 

(c) It shall be the duty of the Police Commissioner to compile and report annually to the Governor and the Legislature on the data tabulated from the Domestic Violence Reports. The report shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:
 

(1) The total number of domestic violence calls received;
 

(2) The number of calls made by victims of each sex;
 

(3) The number of domestic violence calls investigated;
 

(4) The average time-lapse in responding to these calls;
 

(5) The types of police actions taken in disposition of these cases, including the number of arrests.
 

(d) The Police Commissioner shall establish procedures to insure that dispatchers and officers at the scene of an alleged incident of domestic violence are informed of any verified Order issued pursuant to this chapter and in force concerning the parties, or of any prior recorded incident of domestic violence involving the parties.
 

(e) The Police Commissioner shall establish, within the Virgin Islands Police Department, a Domestic Violence Unit which will be responsible for insuring that all incidences of domestic violence are properly prosecuted and that the provisions of this chapter are strictly adhered to.
 

(f) The Clerk of the Court of the Family Division of the Superior Court shall forward certified copies of all protective orders to all police zone commands within the island on which the victim resides within one business day of issuance of the order.