El Paso County receives grant to combat domestic violence

El Paso County commissioners accepted a grant of $74,239 from the U.S. Department of Justice on Monday that they will use to combat domestic violence.

Commissioners court will work with the Center Against Sexual and Family Violence (CASFV) to provide training to county employees, supervisors and law enforcement.

“[It’s] to look at issues of family violence that spill over to the workplaces,” CASFV executive director Stephanie Karr said. “What to look out for, how to manage difficult situations, what to do when a crisis occurs, and most importantly prevention.”

According to data from the Texas Department of Public Safety, incidents of family violence have decreased in El Paso County since 2014.

2014 2015 2016
5,505 5,391 5,059

“We don’t want this kind of violence in the workplace, nor in homes,” Karr said. “Approximately 20-40 percent of threats that security offices and counties across the nation deal with on a regular basis are related to domestic violence.”

County Judge Ruben Vogt and commissioners Andrew Haggerty and David Stout approved the allocation of the grant. Commissioners Vince Perez and Carlos Leon were absent from Monday’s meeting.

“We need to have a constant refresher on tips to try and make sure that that does not happen, and how to deal with it,” Vogt said. “It helps begin to create a place for us to have a conversation about something that is very important. When a situation escalates, we have the ability to diffuse it before it turns into something that it really shouldn’t.”