WHITE PLAINS – The Westchester County Office for Women has named former Pound Ridge Police Chief David Ryan as project director for the county’s Westchester County Domestic Violence High-Risk Team.
He will serve in the post, through a contract with Hope’s Door, a Westchester-based domestic violence services provider funded by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women.
Ryan will be responsible for reviewing domestic violence cases from a law enforcement perspective, following County Executive George Latimer’s commitment to improving community/police response to family violence.
The team will help connect victims with the appropriate service providers. Ryan, along with Domestic Violence High-Risk Team Coordinator Nancy Tunis, will oversee the continued DVHRT training of the county’s local police departments, with the five remaining police departments scheduled for training this fall.
“Our Office for Women is a model for New York State and the country, in response to serious family violence and intimate partner violence training. We introduced the DVHRT program in an attempt to prevent future high-risk violence, and we have seen this training pay dividends in the communities who are already using it,” said Latimer. “This program is effective because our police are participating in training with fellow members of law enforcement, and with their help, we are working towards establishing long-term safety and security for our victims.”
“Reducing the risk of violence stemming from domestic disputes has always been my passion, and when you have a long career in law enforcement, it’s possible to experience too many tragic and violent homicides,” said Ryan. “I have seen enough pain and suffering over the years that I knew could have been prevented, so I am personally invested in seeing this program succeed. We have seen a dramatic difference in the way our police officers respond with this new training, and while public safety will always be our mantra, we have a much more empathic and compassionate approach when we are engaged with victims of domestic violence.”
Of the County’s 42 local police departments, only one remains to be trained, with Mount Vernon, Larchmont and Harrison scheduled for September.
