Today, I received comments from Cuba Police Chief Dustin Burch:
In my opinion domestics are one of the most dangerous calls
a police officer can go on. The responding officers never know what is on the
other side of the door when they are walking up to it. In Cuba fortunately, we
usually have 2 officers responding but not always. A one officer response
generally makes it hard to keep the two people separated to get an accurate
account of the incident. The training we get is the only thing we can utilize
and you learn as the years go by that your mouth and how you talk to people is
the best way to control the situation and de-escalate tension. Just so you have
an idea in Cuba last year our officers responded to 79 domestic disputes which
was a 14 percent rise from the 69 domestic disputes we handled in 2015. Thank
you for bringing this info to light my heart goes out to the fallen Trooper and
his family...
Editor's Note: I highlighted a portion of the Chiefs comments because I thought it was impactful and demonstrates the professionalism, skill and wisdom of the Cuba PD.
--- ---As we hear from other agencies, we’ll share their responses and concerns.
If you are or have been a victim of domestic violence, reach out. Help is available.
The State And National Domestic Violence Hotline Numbers Are:
-New York State Domestic Violence 24 Hour Hotline (English & español/Multi-language accessibility): 1-800-942-6906 or 711 for Deaf or Hard of Hearing