Missouri Laws 455.080 – Law enforcement agencies response to alleged incidents of domestic ..
1. Law enforcement agencies may establish procedures to ensure that dispatchers and officers at the scene of an alleged incident of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, or violation of an order of protection can be informed of any recorded prior incident of domestic violence, stalking, or sexual assault involving the abused party and can verify the effective dates and terms of any recorded order of protection.
2. The law enforcement agency shall apply the same standard for response to an alleged incident of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, or a violation of any order of protection as applied to any like offense involving strangers, except as otherwise provided by law. Law enforcement agencies shall not assign lower priority to calls involving alleged incidents of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, or violation of protection orders than is assigned in responding to offenses involving strangers. Existence of any of the following factors shall be interpreted as indicating a need for immediate response:
Terms Used In Missouri Laws 455.080
- Assault: purposely or knowingly placing or attempting to place another in fear of physical harm. See Missouri Laws 455.010
- Domestic violence: abuse or stalking committed by a family or household member, as such terms are defined in this section. See Missouri Laws 455.010
- following: when used by way of reference to any section of the statutes, mean the section next preceding or next following that in which the reference is made, unless some other section is expressly designated in the reference. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- Order of protection: either an ex parte order of protection or a full order of protection. See Missouri Laws 455.010
- Sexual assault: causing or attempting to cause another to engage involuntarily in any sexual act by force, threat of force, duress, or without that person's consent. See Missouri Laws 455.010
- Stalking: is when any person purposely engages in an unwanted course of conduct that causes alarm to another person, or a person who resides together in the same household with the person seeking the order of protection when it is reasonable in that person's situation to have been alarmed by the conduct. See Missouri Laws 455.010
(1) The caller indicates that violence is imminent or in progress; or
(2) A protection order is in effect; or
(3) The caller indicates that incidents of domestic violence have occurred previously between the parties.
3. Law enforcement agencies may establish domestic crisis teams or, if the agency has fewer than five officers whose responsibility it is to respond to calls of this nature, individual officers trained in methods of dealing with domestic violence. Such teams or individuals may be supplemented by social workers, ministers or other persons trained in counseling or crisis intervention. When an alleged incident of domestic violence is reported, the agency may dispatch a crisis team or specially trained officer, if available, to the scene of the incident.
4. The officer at the scene of an alleged incident of domestic violence, stalking, or sexual assault shall inform the abused party of available judicial remedies for relief from domestic violence and of available shelters for victims of domestic violence.
5. Law enforcement officials at the scene shall provide or arrange transportation for the abused party to a medical facility for treatment of injuries or to a place of shelter or safety.