New domestic violence training seeks to improve first responder skills
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. – After recognizing a need for more specialized domestic violence instruction, 100 first responders here underwent a new three-hour training course aimed to better prepare them, improve crime scene documentation and standardize their reporting processes.
This training, recently developed by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, sought to address a gap that has impacted thousands of incidents across the force. While launched here first, the goal is to bring it to the entire Air Force and the Department of War.
Special Agent Meggan McMains, director of criminal and fraud investigations for AFOSI 3rd Field Investigations Region, developed the training when she realized that first responders were entering complex scenes without specialized training needed to handle them.
She said that existing training provides a foundation but it does not fully prepare responders for the complexity of cases. She developed additional instruction with a team of well-versed experts and offered it first to the responders co-located here at Scott.
“While stationed at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, I served as the course director for the [AFOSI] violent crimes program. In that role, I attended some outstanding training on domestic violence and strangulation. I've been in law enforcement for a long time, and when I went through that training, I was kind of blown away by the things I was not aware of as a seasoned investigator.”
Leaning on her experience and training, she then brought in a team that included an operational psychologist from AFOSI, forensic medical experts, experts from the Office of Special Trial Counsel, along with security forces policy and training experts, which allowed for different perspectives to sculpt a curriculum that could better prepare all first responders for the realities of domestic violence calls.
“This course provides the education needed to [better] understand victim behavior, coercive control, offender behavior, investigative bias, scene documentation and evidence collection. It also helps responders understand the offenses and the legal side of these investigations.”
This includes exploring why a victim may act in a certain manner, why a victim may not want to cooperate, the psychology behind domestic violence, and why victims stay in relationships.
The team was adamant that the training they provided was as visceral as the scenes responders would face.
"Rather than a lecture or slide-focused lectures, the course uses immersion and real-world case studies to teach first responders how to navigate the complex reality of domestic violence calls. Our first responders from Security Forces are the foundation to these cases and with training, these cases will be stronger in the long run."
The impact of this immersive approach is already being felt by local defenders' leadership, where the focus has shifted from standard procedures to recognizing the nuance of every call.
“It’s improved our knowledge on responding to these situations due to the intricacies that come with them,” said Capt. Jillian Arend, operations officer 375th Security Forces Squadron. “Oftentimes, signs [of domestic violence] are not as prevalent, so with this training that our AFOSI team has introduced, it has been extremely helpful.”
Beyond providing a professional response, the course aims to fundamentally change the way incidents are processed, which leads to stronger prosecution and better victim support. They also initiated a new form to improve crime scene documentation, that includes relationship history, demeanor, physical appearance, condition and a diagram of the victim and subject.
“We’re proud of the training we built. We think this is a practical tool for the entire Department of the Air Force first responders,” McMains said. “Looking at this training, it helps that the multidisciplinary team we have runs better and tighter investigations. It’s going to help the first responders with any biases they may have had and to provide better support for victims.”
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