Tewksbury Police Department Joins Program Responding to High-Risk Domestic Violence Cases

From the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office

Tewksbury – Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan and Tewksbury Police Chief Timothy Sheehan have announced that the Tewksbury Police Department has joined the Greater Lowell Evaluation and Advocacy Network (GLEAN), expanding a community-based program that responds to high-risk domestic violence cases in the Lowell region.

Founded in 2012, GLEAN is a cross-sector partnership of 30 public, private and non-profit organizations, representing various areas of expertise. Through collaboration, the program works to identify high-risk cases and mitigate risk through crisis intervention and support services.

“The addition of the Tewksbury Police Department will expand the model to allow us to serve more high-risk victims of domestic violence,” said District Attorney Ryan. “It is critical that law enforcement, community organizations and other partner agencies collaborate closely to ensure the long-term safety of survivors through offender accountability and personalized safety and service plans.”

“The Tewksbury Police Department is committed to providing necessary resources and protection to victims of domestic violence and our inclusion in GLEAN will strengthen our ability to meet and even exceed this objective. We very much appreciate the work being done by the GLEAN team and can’t thank the District Attorney Marian Ryan enough for including our community,” said Chief Sheehan.

By considering research-based factors that elevate the risk for intimate partner homicide -- including access to guns, stalking, extreme jealousy, past threats to kill and other factors -- the risk assessment tool used by GLEAN works to enhance risk management. Risk assessment has been recognized as a means to empower victims in abusive relationships to make personal safety decisions.

The Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office participates in high-risk teams in eight other cities and towns across the county including Ayer, Cambridge, Concord, Framingham, Malden, Somerville, Stoneham and Waltham.

Members of GLEAN: Alternative House, Lowell Police Department, Tewksbury Police Department, Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, Lowell District Court Probation Department, Lowell Superior Court Probation Department, Holy Family Hospital Family Safety Project, University of Massachusetts Lowell’s School of Criminology and Justice Studies, Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence, Center for Hope and Healing, Community Teamwork, Inc., Greater Lowell Health Alliance, Greater Lowell Technical High School, International Institute of New England, Lowell Alliance for Families and Neighborhoods, Lowell Community Health Center, Lowell Housing Authority, Lowell National Historic Park, Lowell Senior Center, Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers, Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, Massachusetts Department of Correction, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance, Massachusetts Parole Board, Mental Health Association of Greater Lowell, Middlesex Sheriff’s Office, MSPCC Healthy Families-Lowell, Northeast Legal Aid, and University of Massachusetts Lowell Police Department.
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