INDIANAPOLIS – Across the nation, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In the United States, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 7 men will be a victim of domestic violence in their lifetime. So far in 2014, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) has taken approximately 6,000 domestic violence-related reports. Domestic violence is a community issue —raising awareness and victim safety are two of the most important tools we have in ending domestic violence.
In partnership with The Julian Center, IMPD will collect used cell phones from staff and the community during the month of October at all five of its service districts and the City-County Building. During this initiative IMPD hopes to collect approximately 250 to 500 unwanted cell phones. These phones will be collected through October and sent to Secure the Call, a non-profit agency that wipes all data donated cell phones and ensures they are in working condition to be a 9-1-1 cell phone. The Julian Center provides 9-1-1 phones to victims in their various programs as well as to IMPD officers to distribute on domestic violence crime scenes when a victim needs a 9-1-1 phone for safety. IMPD will collect broken phones, phones without chargers and chargers without phones in the secure donation bins — if they are unable to be repaired, they will be recycled and funds used to continue the 9-1-1 cell phone program.
All sworn IMPD officers will wear purple ribbon pins on their uniforms throughout the month of October. These ribbons, provided by the Domestic Violence Network, signify support and recognition of all domestic violence victims, survivors and their families. The purple ribbons on the uniforms of our brave IMPD officers represent a united front dedicated to holding abusers accountable and keeping victims safe.
