MCOLES Domestic Violence Response 3

Question 1

A victim tells you her abuser broke her phone so she could not call for help. This is an example of which tactic used by abusers?

Accepted Answer

Isolation through technology control

Answer

Destroying communication devices is a form of isolation and technology control, a recognized pattern of coercive control used by abusers.

Question 2

During a DV investigation, a child in the home tells you they witnessed the assault. The officer should:

Accepted Answer

Interview the child separately in an age-appropriate manner and document the statement

Answer

Child witnesses should be interviewed separately from both parents, in an age-appropriate manner, and their statements carefully documented as potential evidence.

Question 3

An officer responds to a DV call and discovers the alleged victim is the primary aggressor. The officer should:

Accepted Answer

Apply the dominant aggressor standard and arrest the primary physical threat

Answer

Even when the alleged victim is the aggressor, the dominant aggressor standard requires the officer to identify and arrest the party posing the greatest ongoing threat.

Question 4

Under Michigan's strangulation statute (MCL 750.84), strangulation or suffocation in a domestic context is classified as:

Accepted Answer

A felony punishable by up to 10 years

Answer

Michigan law classifies strangulation or suffocation as a felony with up to 10 years imprisonment, reflecting the high lethality risk of this act.

Question 5

When completing a lethality assessment at a DV scene, which factor most significantly elevates the risk of homicide?

Accepted Answer

The abuser has threatened to kill the victim or has previously used a weapon

Answer

Death threats and prior weapon use are among the strongest predictors of intimate partner homicide and must be documented and acted upon.

MCOLES - Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards Practice Test

MCOLES - Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards Practice Test

MCOLES Domestic Violence Response 3