Police Are Not Equipped to Respond to Domestic Violence Issues
Gabby Petito’s case demonstrates why law enforcement officers are not always the best first responders.
I watched the entire hour and seventeen minutes of bodycam footage from the Moab City Police stop of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie on August 12th.
As a survivor of domestic abuse, it was incredibly triggering, but I persisted. After watching the video in its entirety, I was able to draw one simple conclusion: Our law enforcement officers are not trained well enough in domestic and intimate partner violence and it is costing victims their lives.
The stop seems straightforward enough. The officer was responding to a call from a witness who saw the pair arguing. In addition, Laundrie, the driver, was both speeding and ran up on a curb, prompting the stop. At face value, it probably seems like a couple arguing, and Petito is the first to admit that they are having a rough day.
Petito is hysterical when she gets out of the car, and she does not calm down much for the entirety of the stop. Laundrie, on the other hand, remains calm and collected and is quick to blame her for the situation, taking no responsibility for his own role in the matter.
