kcchiefs6465
07-19-2014, 11:22 AM
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) - For the second time in less than a week, a New Orleans police officer has been charged with a felony stemming from alleged domestic battery.
“I’m surprised actually that we haven’t heard of more of these instances,” Tulane University Sociologist Charles R. Figley said.
He’s talking about New Orleans police officers accused of domestic abuse.
Within the past four days two separate officers have been charged with domestic battery.
Officer Christopher Carter faces one count of domestic abuse battery, and another count of domestic abuse battery involving strangulation.
Friday — the NOPD announced detective Robert Hurst was charged with attempted second degree murder relative to simple battery, stemming from allegations of domestic abuse.
It’s a well-known fact that New Orleans police officers work in a high stress environment, in high risk situations, and with a shortage of officers.
“The pressure is intense and so when you’re come home its very hard to both calm down from that and also respond in an appropriate way.”
Recent studies found at least 40-percent of police officer families experience domestic violence. That’s in contrast to 10-percent of families in the general population; which indicates domestic violence is 2 to 4 times more common among police families than families in general.
People we talked to say job related stress is no excuse.
“There’s no excuse at all. I don’t think being a police officer. Stress is any justification for that so I don’t think it’s right regardless,” Melanie Cowan said.
“I mean everyone experiences stress. You got to deal with it yourself. You can’t do things that aren’t right you know,” Avery Kindler said.
Figley agrees.
“Never an excuse, explanation, but never an excuse. You just don’t hit, hurt, and harm especially purposely the people you love, you care about or that are weaker than you. There’s no excuse what so ever,” Figley said.
The Public Integrity Bureau is investigating allegations against the veteran officers.
Both officers have been placed on emergency suspension without pay.
Read more: hxxp://wgno.com/2014/07/14/second-nopd-officer-faces-felony-domestic-abuse-charges/#ixzz37w5hHPjX
“I’m surprised actually that we haven’t heard of more of these instances,” Tulane University Sociologist Charles R. Figley said.
He’s talking about New Orleans police officers accused of domestic abuse.
Within the past four days two separate officers have been charged with domestic battery.
Officer Christopher Carter faces one count of domestic abuse battery, and another count of domestic abuse battery involving strangulation.
Friday — the NOPD announced detective Robert Hurst was charged with attempted second degree murder relative to simple battery, stemming from allegations of domestic abuse.
It’s a well-known fact that New Orleans police officers work in a high stress environment, in high risk situations, and with a shortage of officers.
“The pressure is intense and so when you’re come home its very hard to both calm down from that and also respond in an appropriate way.”
Recent studies found at least 40-percent of police officer families experience domestic violence. That’s in contrast to 10-percent of families in the general population; which indicates domestic violence is 2 to 4 times more common among police families than families in general.
People we talked to say job related stress is no excuse.
“There’s no excuse at all. I don’t think being a police officer. Stress is any justification for that so I don’t think it’s right regardless,” Melanie Cowan said.
“I mean everyone experiences stress. You got to deal with it yourself. You can’t do things that aren’t right you know,” Avery Kindler said.
Figley agrees.
“Never an excuse, explanation, but never an excuse. You just don’t hit, hurt, and harm especially purposely the people you love, you care about or that are weaker than you. There’s no excuse what so ever,” Figley said.
The Public Integrity Bureau is investigating allegations against the veteran officers.
Both officers have been placed on emergency suspension without pay.
Read more: hxxp://wgno.com/2014/07/14/second-nopd-officer-faces-felony-domestic-abuse-charges/#ixzz37w5hHPjX