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Survivors and council members press Billings for tougher domestic‑violence response, request special work session
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Summary
Survivors, advocates and Council member Scott Aspenlieder urged the Billings City Council to require scenario‑based training for officers, create a public plan with completion metrics, expand victim services and hold a special work session to review system failures after recent domestic‑violence fatalities.
Council member Scott Aspenlieder opened the council reports portion of the meeting by saying the city has suffered multiple domestic‑violence homicides in the past 24 months and calling the pattern "systemic." Aspenlieder urged the council and city leadership to require mandatory, scenario‑based domestic‑violence training across ranks, create dedicated domestic‑violence investigator capacity, and develop public, measurable accountability for training completion and outcomes.
Mayor Mike Nelson asked staff for a timeline to compile the reports and comparative analyses Aspenlieder requested. City staff member Chris Kukulski told the council staff would prepare an outline in days, coordinate with county and state partners and work with the city attorney and police chief to identify legal and cross‑jurisdictional constraints. The council agreed to schedule a special work session within 10 days for an initial overview of city‑side responsibilities and next steps.
Following the council discussion, a prolonged public‑comment period focused on the deaths and survivors’ experiences. More than a dozen speakers, many identifying themselves as survivors or advocates, described repeated protection‑order violations, delayed responses from law enforcement and gaps in follow‑up services. Speakers urged a full accounting of recent domestic‑violence fatalities, better interagency coordination, immediate enforcement of restraining‑order violations and stable funding for the Northern Lights Family Justice Center. Several offered to contribute training or volunteer support.
Aspenlieder and other council members framed the council action as the start of a process: staff will assemble available public information, coordinate with the county attorney’s office and other partners, and return with a proposed timeline and the scope for a dedicated work session. The council did not take immediate legislative action that night; instead members asked for a focused briefing and public‑facing deliverables to track implementation.
Why it matters: Multiple speakers said protection orders and current responses have failed victims in Billings. The council’s next steps could shape police training, budgets and whether the city prioritizes a dedicated DV unit and expanded wraparound services.
