NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Tuesday, April 8, 2014, 2:01 AM
Child abuse victims and kids living in violent homes across East Harlem are getting a new team of defenders.
Domestic violence officers in the 23rd Precinct are partnering with therapists from nonprofit Safe Horizon to provide free in-home counseling to troubled families.
The Child Development Community Policing Pilot Program, which will begin by month’s end, is the first of its kind.
“We’re identifying children who are victims of domestic violence or witness domestic violence,” said Deputy Chief Kathleen O’Reilly, head of the NYPD Domestic Violence Unit. “We’re starting off small, in one precinct, and we hope it can grow.”
East Harlem was picked to host the nascent endeavor due to its 2014 spike in domestic violence crimes. As of March 30, the 23rd Precinct counted 45 incidents — up from 29 during the same period in 2013, according to NYPD data.
The neighborhood had the highest count of family violence out of the other upper Manhattan communities.
Cops and therapists will make up to six visits to problem homes. Those who need more in-depth counseling will be referred to Safe Horizon centers located across Manhattan.
The plan is modeled after a program launched two decades ago by police in New Haven and the Yale Child Study Center.
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