Springfield officials outline coordinated response to domestic violence, cite barriers for survivors

Springfield City Commission work-session presenters described how local law enforcement, prosecutors and community advocates are coordinating to investigate and prosecute domestic violence while trying to reduce burdens on survivors and reach marginalized communities.

Sergeant Denise Jones of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Erin McNenny, chief prosecutor for the City of Springfield, Rebecca Sedat, a prosecutor handling felony domestic-violence-related cases, and Lauren Dennis, a supervisor advocate, told commissioners that the criminal-justice system’s structure and survivors’ life circumstances often make participation difficult and that agencies are adapting practices to address that reality.

Jones said domestic violence differs from other crimes because the victim and offender commonly share finances, a household or children, and because offenders often “start grooming that victim.” She said the sheriff’s office began a program in 2017 after receiving a grant through the International Association of Chiefs of Police and now works closely with Project Woman, a community-based advocacy organization that provides privileged, confidential advocacy for survivors.

"We hyper focus on putting a lot of the onus on victims," Jones said, urging the commission to consider the practical and safety consequences for survivors if an offender is arrested and later released on bond. Jones described a standard follow-up process in which deputies, prosecutors and advocates attempt repeated contact and offer services because many survivors leave an abusive relationship “7 to 9 times” before leaving permanently, as she put it.

Erin McNenny, the city’s chief prosecutor, reviewed how misdemeanor cases proceed in Clark County Municipal Court and the office’s efforts to reduce logistical barriers for victims. "Marcy’s Law is the Ohio Crime Victims Bill of Rights," McNenny said, and her office mails a rights sheet and a contact form with subpoenas so advocates and a single point of contact can support victims through court. She said the office also is allowing victims to participate by phone when possible and is expanding email contact and other alternatives to in-person attendance.

McNenny described evidence the office uses when a victim does not appear: "We look at the 911 call, body cam video, posts on social media," she said, and noted recorded jail calls can produce admissions. The city prosecutor said Springfield Police Division’s new body cameras have already helped identify admissible statements and that a new records system improves internal communication on multi-jurisdictional defendants.

Rebecca Sedat explained why many domestic-violence matters that appear as dismissed in municipal-court dockets are not abandoned but are transferred. "99% of them start in municipal court," Sedat said. She said prosecutors frequently take municipal filings to a grand jury and then indict, causing the municipal case to show as "dismissed — prosecutor request" because it was moved to common pleas (felony) court.

Sedat and other presenters said recent changes in Ohio law have increased felony strangulation filings, and that many cases arising from the same incident can include charges such as aggravated burglary, robbery, stalking or strangulation in addition to domestic-violence counts. Sedat said prosecutors will often keep a case moving without a victim’s participation when other evidence exists: "I am going to keep the case going," she said, "because usually, if I can keep a case going, I can get a conviction."

Presenters emphasized cross-agency coordination in Clark County. Jones and Sedat described regular meetings among the sheriff’s office, City of Springfield prosecutors, county prosecutors and advocates to identify repeat or high-risk offenders, align training (including on hearsay exceptions), and develop joint protocols such as lethality assessment and rapid advocate response. Jones said advocates from Project Woman have office hours at the sheriff’s office and can be contacted by deputies at the scene; their communications are privileged and not required to be shared with law enforcement.

Speakers also raised access barriers that affect whether survivors report or participate: protection orders are available only Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with an hour reserved for lunch, which can conflict with work schedules; childcare and income loss can deter survivors from pursuing criminal cases; language, disability and community trust issues can further complicate contact with law enforcement. Presenters said the system must preserve survivors’ choices while pursuing public-safety goals.

There were no formal motions or votes during the work session. Presenters said agencies plan continued joint training and outreach and will provide clearer materials to the commission on case-flow and data.

Commissioners heard the presentation during a work session; no ordinance, resolution or court filing resulted from the meeting itself.