The Lethality Assessment Program: police coordinators’ experiences and perceptions

ABSTRACT This study assessed the experiences with and perceptions of the Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) among law enforcement officers tasked with coordinating the program in their departments. The LAP is a police-social service domestic violence (DV) intervention utilized in a number states in the United States. Interviews were conducted with 20 coordinators from police departments in Connecticut to assess their perceptions of and experiences with the LAP. Coordinators reported that implementation of the program went well, overall, but noted challenges such as lack of officer buy-in, failure to follow the protocol, and resistance to using personal cellular phones on the job. Participants also indicated that the collaboration served to establish or strengthen the department’s relationship with the local DV agency. Recommendations for addressing the challenges and directions for future research are discussed.