A refreshing new approach to combatting intimate partner violence by becoming proactive in the early stages is an important breakthrough developed by High Point, NC Chief of Police, Marty Sumner.
By recognizing that offenders consistently escalate if not held accountable, resulting in increased family violence and often murder, Chief Sumner’s program has shown a decrease in intimate partner homicide as well as recidivism rates. For the complete report on the details and success of this program read: Offender Focused DV Initiative Report Aug 2014
Although traditional victim focus is still of utmost importance and resources for victims will always be needed, by curtailing offenders at the first offense there’s a likelihood that it will also restrict chronic offenders and remove the immediate danger to the victim more often.
Shattered Lives Radio host Donna R. Gore welcomes Chief Marty Sumner and Shay Harger to the show to further discuss the Offender Focused DV Initiative and how communities in which it’s being utilized are having a positive impact.
Chief Marty A. Sumner is a thirty year veteran with the High Point, North Carolina Police Department. Chief Sumner was appointed Chief of Police in March of 2012 after serving eight years as Assistant Chief plus one year as Deputy Chief. Chief Sumner’s previous assignments include Major Crime Deterrence & Prevention, Patrol, Vice Narcotics, detectives, training, Administrative Assistant to the Chief, Field Training Supervisor, Field Training Commander and the Tactical Team retiring as the team commander in 2003.
Chief Sumner is a graduate of John Wesley College with a BA in Management and Ethics, the Southern Police Institute Administrative Officers Course at the University of Louisville in 2000 and the Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard in 2006.
Chief Sumner helped design and implement the “High Point Model” approach to eliminating neighborhood drug markets, which won the 2007 Innovations in American Government award from the Ash Institute at Harvard and the 2008 National League of Cities Gold Award.
Shay Harger is the Victim Services Division Director at Family Service of the Piedmont in Guilford County, NC. She directs two 24/7 residential domestic violence shelters for women and children, 24/7 domestic violence and sexual assault Victim Advocacy program, a Batterer Intervention program and a domestic violence and sexual assault supervised visitation and exchange program. Shay was previously the Program Coordinator for two Children’s Advocacy Centers housed at Family Service of the Piedmont, in Guilford County. Shay has 10 years of Victim Service experience both in direct service and in administration levels. Shay graduated from High Point University with a BS in Psychology with a Clinical concentration. Shay’s passion is to ensure victims have meaningful access to support, resources and most of all justice.
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