Sumner declares October Domestic Violence Awareness Month; police adopt on-scene risk assessment

Sumner Mayor Kathy Hayden and the Sumner City Council on Oct. 6 proclaimed October 2025 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and highlighted a new, locally led effort to identify and support people at highest risk of intimate-partner homicide.

The proclamation, read by Police Chief Maricki, was followed by presentations from Sumner police and community partners describing the city's adoption of a danger-assessment tool at the scene of domestic-violence incidents and formation of a specialized response team to speed services to high-risk victims.

The proclamation notes that domestic violence crosses demographic boundaries and that Sumner is partnering with The Sisters' House, the City Attorney's Office and the Pierce County prosecutor's office to offer a "victim-centered response." Police officials said Sumner is the first jurisdiction in Pierce County to implement the danger assessment at the scene.

"That is one of those crimes that crosses all demographics," Sumner Police Chief Maricki said, adding that officers and partner organizations are working to make sure victims receive services and interventions. "That is one of those crimes that crosses all demographics. And, the resources to support them have not been adequate for people at highest risk."

Deputy Police Chief Andy McCurdy described results after training a team to use the assessment: "Almost immediately after training 1 of our teams, they went out and, 1 of the first domestic violence cases they responded to, the victim actually scored out, I think it was a 10 out of 11. Anything 7 and above is considered high risk. And as a result of some of the extra efforts that were made because of that high risk score by the officers and the training that they received, the needs of that victim were much more quickly and adequately met." McCurdy credited the extra resources triggered by the assessment with better meeting the victim's needs.

Kelly Robinson, executive director of The Sisters' House, said the organization has worked on implementing a domestic-violence high-risk assessment team in Pierce County since 2023 and stressed that research supports the on-scene assessment's effectiveness at preventing intimate-partner homicide. "The DALE is known, it's proven, research has proven that it will prevent intimate partner homicide and just keep victims safe," Robinson said.

Jaylen, introduced as The Sisters' House's domestic violence coordinator, said the agency reached out to police departments across Pierce County while building the program and thanked Sumner police for their partnership.

Noel Clark, the city's domestic-violence victim advocate, said recent work included passing ordinances such as a statute exposing minors to domestic violence that carries an automatic 30-day jail sentence if convicted, and expanding tools available to officers and advocates. "Partnering with the police department to provide tools like the dangerous assessment for law enforcement to myself and our partners now at The Sisters' House. We really have been able to have a fully developed approach to domestic violence and those services and making sure it doesn't happen again," Clark said.

The proclamation and the partners' remarks emphasized that the on-scene assessment is intended to identify victims at highest risk so the city and community organizations can prioritize intensive, timely interventions.

Council members thanked the police department and community partners and noted the city's role as an early adopter within the county. No formal council action beyond the proclamation was recorded.