GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - A campaign to track down individuals wanted on domestic violence charges is underway in Kent County, and backers say the annual effort has yielded impressive results since it launched in October of 2015.
“It’s been a very successful project with most of the people highlighted on our list being picked up by police,’’ said Chris Cameron, executive director of Silent Observer in Kent County. “The community responding to the poster is very important.’’
The 2018 poster, unveiled last week, shows images of 20 people being sought on outstanding warrants or wanted on open domestic violence charges.
Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker says the annual campaign helps put wanted criminals behind bars while also shedding light on the pervasiveness of domestic violence. His office in 2017 filed 1,258 domestic violence charges.
“I really do appreciate the fact that Silent Observer has decided to undertake this campaign once again,’’ Becker said. “I don’t think the public truly appreciates the amount of domestic violence that occurs on a daily basis. This is a way to shed light on a problem we don’t talk about enough.’’
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, on average, almost 20 people per minute are physically abused in the U.S. by an intimate partner, which equates to more than 10 million men and women per year.
The state House last week passed a resolution declaring October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Michigan.
“Throughout the last three decades, much progress has been made to support domestic violence victims and survivors and to hold abusers accountable,’’ the resolution states. “Continued awareness, education and action are crucial to prevention.’’
Cameron said the “Love Does Not Hit’’ poster features photos and brief profiles of the 20 wanted individuals, more than half of whom are wanted on felony warrants.
“The community has really responded because we have people on this poster that police cannot find, so we ask the community to call us with information as to their whereabouts,’’ Cameron said.
The poster can be viewed at SilentObserver.org under the ‘wanted’ section. Click on the heading ‘domestic violence.’ People with information call Silent Observer at (616) 774-2345.
People who provide a tip that leads to an arrest are eligible for a reward, Cameron said. Payments range from $250 to $500, she said.
“A lot of organizations, after seeing our poster, have now started doing the same thing,’’ Cameron said. “So yes; it’s being used across the country.’’
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