Executive Directive No. 12 – Domestic Violence Services

Communities are strengthened when families are free of violence. Domestic violence is
a destructive crime that weakens the stability of our neighborhoods. Children exposed
to violence in the home are more likely to become victims or perpetrators themselves,
thereby continuing the cycle of violence over generations. The City of Los Angeles is
committed to honoring the basic rights of all Angelenos to live and thrive free from
violence and abuse.

Congress adopted the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in 1994. VAWA expanded
the support available to victims of domestic violence in a number of critical ways,
including the establishment of a national hotline, improvements to the criminal justice
system, and specialized training for law enforcement to increase understanding of the
unique challenges that victims face. The City of Los Angeles allocated critical resources
and services to victims including the creation of the Domestic Violence Task Force,
Domestic Abuse Response Teams (DART), and Sexual Assault Response Teams
(SART).

Earlier this year, in response to increases in the reporting of domestic violence crimes, I
expanded the DART program from the original ten Los Angeles Police Department
(LAPD) Divisions to all twenty-one LAPD geographic Divisions. The DART program is
now operational across Los Angeles.