Contributed by: Katri Tammekand, Estonia National VAW Monitor

At the end of 2006, the Police Handbook on Violence in Close Relations was published and it was distributed to all the police stations in Estonia. The aim of the handbook is to help the police officers who immediately react to calls to solve cases of family violence in the best possible way. In addition to patrol officers and division constables, the handbooks were also distributed to police control centers, bodies conducting proceedings of different cases, and the closest cooperation partners of the police. Additionally, the new book shall be used as educational material at the Estonian Public Service Academy, where future police officers get their education.

First and foremost, the handbook provides practical guidelines to police officers so that they can act professionally in a psychological and legal sense with all the parties involved in the acts of violence.

In addition to instructions for behavior and sections from laws there are specific case studies and possible ways of solving problems, as well as a list of cooperation partners in different divisions together with their contact information.

The handbook was compiled in cooperation between NGO Estonian Centre for Social Programmes and Lääne Police Prefecture, and supported by the Open Estonia Foundation. In addition to compiling the police handbook, a system for collecting police statistics about violence in close relations was started; police officers were trained; and several specialists were involved as cooperation partners in the framework of a 3-year pilot project in order to achieve a higher level of professionalism among the Estonian police in solving domestic violence cases.

Compiled from: NGO Estonian Centre for Social Programmes.