Massachusetts 911 Department Providing Important Silent Call Info (image)
Each month, we conduct an on-air chat with Berkshire County District Attorney, Andrea Harrington at our Great Barrington location. The interviews revolve around the latest happenings in the Berkshires. Topics include the uptick in fatal drug overdoses in Berkshire County, racial disparities, and/or if the local court system is able to host in-person trials, just to name a few.
One topic that we discuss on a regular basis is domestic violence in Berkshire County. Domestic violence is prevalent in the Berkshires. I remember in one of our previous interviews, Andrea mentioned that due to the pandemic, her office and local law enforcement are seeing more serious instances of domestic violence because people are isolated more than they were prior to the pandemic. In that same discussion, Andrea mentioned that if someone suspects domestic violence occurring with a loved one, friend, neighbor, etc. that person should report it by contacting the Berkshire County Domestic Violence Task Force or by contacting the Elizabeth Freeman Center.
What if I'm the Victim of Domestic/Sexual Violence?
If you are the victim of domestic violence in Berkshire County, it may be tougher to get help especially if the victimizer is present. In this case, you would want to use the silent call procedure. The Massachusetts 911 Department is providing postcards to local police departments regarding text to 911 and silent 911 call procedures. Other instances where one may need to use one of these procedures are home invasions or if the caller has a disability. One Berkshire County location I know of that has these postcards available to the public is the Great Barrington Police Department.
For Those Who Can't Get Out to Pick Up a Post Card, We Have Provided an Image of the Post Card Below.