Domestic violence court honored after length of restraining orders extended

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Violence Against Women has awarded the Tucson City Court Domestic Violence Court with a Firearms Technical Assistance Project Pilot Sites Initiative Grant.

These funds will go toward projects supporting domestic violence partners and the challenges they face, reveals the city's community relations department.

“It is an honor for Tucson’s City Domestic Violence Court to receive this grant to conduct the Firearms Project. It really speaks to our continuing ability to work with police, the prosecution and defense, and victim advocacy groups to produce the best justice system outcome for both domestic violence victims, and the offenders who cause harm," shared Judge Wendy Million, the Magistrate who presides over the court. "Improving the enforcement of court-ordered gun surrenders is a big step towards community safety."

According to research, an abuser is more likely to inflict deadly domestic violence if they have access to a firearm.

The goal of this grant is to prevent those abusers from doing so.

"Congratulations to City of Tucson Judge Million and the larger Domestic Violence Court team in this very important grant award,” said Tucson Police Department (TPD) Chief Chad Kasmar in a statement. "This award reflects full criminal justice system stakeholder and community engagement, all working together with the collective goal to address gun crime and domestic violence. This grant with give us additional tools to increase offender accountability, while also improving the lives of domestic violence victims."

The Domestic Violence Court has partnered with the TPD, Emerge Center Against Domestic Abuse, Tucson City Prosecutors Office and Pima County Adult Probation Office to make all this possible.