Grant funds Wash. police training for domestic violence, stalking

US Official News

Olympia, Wash. — Washington State University and Pullman police will participate in training Nov. 1 and 2 to respond to domestic violence and stalking.

The training, hosted by Alternatives to Violence of the Palouse (ATVP), will be presented by representatives from the National Stalking Resource Center. WSU Health and Wellness Services (HWS) is supporting the training with funding from a U.S. Department of Justice grant.

"ATVP has been providing annual training to law enforcement for more than 10 years, and local law enforcement agencies have always participated by sending a small group of officers,” said Nikki Finnestead, violence prevention coordinator at HWS and former ATVP employee. "This year, every officer from the WSU and Pullman police departments is able to attend the training because of additional funds from the grant to pay for the officers’ time.”

"We have data indicating that 9 to 11 percent of WSU students reported experiencing abusive relationships in the last year. Those relationships can be emotionally, physically or sexually abusive,” said Paula M. Adams, grant project director at HWS. "About 6 percent of students reported being stalked in the last year.

"This percentage is consistent with national reports for college populations, but we hope to make our campus safer than the average college campus,” Adams said.

The grant to HWS is a three-year, $300,000 grant to address violence against women through adoption of a comprehensive, coordinated response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. Other grant activities include a review of campus policies and education of students.

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