On August 25, the Houlton Police Department was notified that it was the recipient of a $12,000 STOP Violence Against Women grant.
The department’s proposal stemmed from a multi-disciplinary bail commissioners training seminar held in Orono on April 8. The Aroostook County contingency at the seminar included the Houlton Chief of Police, a Maine State Trooper, Clerks of the District Court, the Maliseet Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Program Director, a Battered Women’s Project advocate, bail commissioners and a Pre-Trial Officer.
The Aroostook County multi-disciplinary group identified the need to develop a task force to address the crimes of domestic violence and sexual assault. The funding of this grant provides the opportunity to bring together key stakeholders (law enforcement, prosecutors, court officials, victim service representatives, probation officers, bail commissioners, BIP, mental health and health providers) from throughout Aroostook County to make system changes that will increase victim safety and perpetrator accountability. The Houlton Police Department hosted a meeting with stakeholders on May 27. The multi-disciplinary group in attendance agreed to seek a state STOP grant to develop and support an Aroostook County Task Force to coordinate the response of law enforcement, court, prosecution, victim service agencies, bail commissioners, probation and penal institution to violent crimes against women, including the crimes of adult sexual assault and domestic violence. Grant funding will be used to support travel, office supplies, clerical support and conduct a one day (eight hour) multi-disciplinary training program on domestic violence, adult sexual assault, stalking and dating violence. The training will also incorporate the system changes that result from the work of the Task Force.
Houlton Police Chief Butch Asselin thanks Jane Root, who is the Director of the Maliseet Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Program, for her assistance in putting the grant application together.
“Over the last 12 years, there have been many unsuccessful attempts to form a Domestic Violence Task Force in Aroostook County either because of territorialism among the disciplines or a lack of funding,” explained Chief Asselin. “I view this first step as an accomplishment that will benefit the victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault throughout the county. Hopefully, the work of the Task Force will lay the groundwork for other grant opportunities so that we may continue our work to further enhance the safety of our citizens. Domestic violence and sexual assault have no place in Aroostook County.”