MPD: Domestic violence calls down in Meridian

By By Fredie Carmichael / staff writer
March 7, 2003
Domestic violence calls have been on the decline in Meridian.
Officials with the Meridian Police Department said the department has consistently received fewer calls. At the same time, police have made a higher percentage of arrests for each call the past two years.
Assistant Police Chief Keith McCary said Meridian police officers responded to 326 domestic calls in 2002. Of those, he said, 125 ended in domestic violence arrests.
In 2000, he said, the MPD responded to 892 domestic calls and made 117 arrests. McCary credits a more informed police force as one of the main reasons for the decrease.
McCary said an annual, day-long training session for officers is making the biggest difference. The training is sponsored by the Care Lodge Domestic Violence Shelter and took place at the Three I Public Safety Training Facility.
A group of about 18 officers with the Meridian Police Department and Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department participated in the training classes on Thursday.
In the classes, officers learned about new domestic violence laws in Mississippi and how to respond to calls. Heather Wagner, an assistant state attorney general, joined the group to discuss the laws.
Wagner works with law officers around the state. She also has worked on drafting legislation to strengthen domestic violence laws.