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Pleasanton council approves pilot of Safer Path lethality‑assessment app for domestic‑violence calls
Summary
Council directed staff to proceed with an agreement to pilot an app from Safer Path that guides officers through a lethality assessment for domestic‑violence incidents and connects victims to on‑call resources when criteria are met.
Pleasanton’s council voted to authorize staff to move forward with an end‑user agreement to use a Safer Path mobile app that officers will use during domestic‑violence calls.
The police chief explained the app is intended to streamline lethality assessments: "It's an app on our phone that would ask a couple questions, possibly 11 or so questions, as part of the lethality assessment," the chief said. If the answers meet defined criteria, the app provides immediate resource options — including a one‑touch phone connection to Safer Path staff who can speak with the victim on the officer’s work phone.
Staff said the city would pilot the technology and that Pleasanton would be among the first in the state to adopt the tool locally; Amarillo was mentioned as another jurisdiction using the system. Council directed staff to proceed with the agreement, recording the motion as carried.
Council and staff discussed operational details: the lethality assessment responses become part of the police report, can be used by prosecution and judges, and may make emergency protective‑order requests more efficient. The chief emphasized the city would be piloting the approach and that it is meant to improve timely access to local victim resources.
What’s next: City staff will finalize the end‑user license and implementation plan with Safer Path, including any training, data‑handling, and local on‑call coordination.
