WARREN, Mich. (WXYZ) — A four-month pilot program aimed at combating domestic violence in Warren has shown encouraging early results, with officials reporting a 7% drop in incidents and no domestic violence-related murders or shootings during the period.
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Operation Cycle Break brings together Warren police, prosecutors, the 37th District Court, Turning Point Macomb, and researchers from Wayne State University to identify high-risk cases earlier, provide faster support to survivors, and hold offenders accountable.
"Immediately upon an arrest, the individual who offended is receiving treatment care for cause, so that the victim isn't re-victimized again," said Peter Lucido, Macomb County Prosecutor.
The collaborative approach has yielded measurable results. According to Wayne State researchers, there was a 57% drop in the number of people arrested who went on to commit additional crimes.
Sharman Davenport, president and CEO of Turning Point, emphasized how the program's support system encourages survivor participation.
"When they feel safe, when they feel supported, when they know that their offender is being monitored so that he's not reoffending them or you know re-traumatizing them, they are willing to stand up for them," Davenport said.
The program focuses heavily on early intervention, particularly in cases involving violence, threats, or offenders with access to weapons. Court tracking shows more than a third of offenders are now ordered into counseling.
John Chmura, 37th District Court Chief Judge, noted a change in offender attitudes toward treatment.
"To understand that they have a problem, the anger, the defiance just isn't there, you know, they're willing to admit they've got a problem and take care of it," Chmura said.
City leaders believe the program's impact extends beyond immediate safety concerns. Commissioner Eric Hawkins from the Warren Police Department highlighted the potential long-term benefits for children in affected households.
"Once you reduce the incidence of domestic violence in the household, we're impacting young people who are in the household," Hawkins said.
The program aims to break generational cycles of abuse, addressing the reality that exposure to domestic violence increases the likelihood of becoming either an offender or victim in the future.
"That is really a tremendous impact, and I think that says a lot for our effort in breaking that generational cycle," Davenport said.
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