Lexington Police expand detective unit, launch lethality assessment for domestic violence

Lexington — Lexington Police announced the expansion of its detective unit from a single investigator to a three-person team and outlined plans to introduce a lethality assessment program for intimate-partner violence.

The department’s detective unit will now include Detective Sergeant Jessica Burks as a grant-funded detective focused on domestic and intimate-partner violence and data analysis; Detective Lewis, who will handle major crimes and background investigations; and School Resource Officer Curry, whose role has been expanded to youth and family crimes detective. Chief Green said the additional staff will improve the department’s ability to “assess crime patterns and community concerns in their area to quickly solve any issues.”

The department presented the lethality assessment program (LAP) as an “evidence-based on-scene assessment administered by law enforcement to a survivor of intimate partner violence to assess lethality after law enforcement leaves that scene,” Detective Sergeant Jessica Burks said. “The whole point is the safety of that survivor after law enforcement leaves, what's gonna happen because we can't always make an arrest. So we want to make sure that later we're not working a homicide.”

Burks said the LAP follows an 11-question Maryland model and that, when properly implemented, studies show LAP can reduce intimate-partner homicides by 35–45 percent. She added that the program immediately connects survivors with Project Horizon and other advocates so the survivor has a path to services even if they decline assistance at first.

Detective Lewis described the investigative and community-outreach duties he will continue to handle, including violent crime, fraud, high-tech crimes, hate crimes and support for patrol officers. School Resource Officer Curry described youth-focused work such as teaching a Virginia roles class at Lexington Middle School, leading a junior police summer camp and operating Operation Blue Elf, a holiday program serving local children.

Council members asked about routine follow-up and resource availability. Burks and Curry said officers provide every domestic-violence caller with information and immediate contact to Project Horizon’s legal and advocacy services. Burks also said regional law-enforcement partners — Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office and Buena Vista Police Department — have agreed to participate in the regional LAP rollout.

The department plans to complete internal training and policy posting, then allow about six weeks for partner departments and Project Horizon to train staff before implementing the program in Lexington.

The department also said it will post crime statistics and make reports available on request and through the department’s usual media contacts.

Ending: Council did not take formal action at the meeting; the announcement and implementation plan were presented for information and council questions.