Pittsfield Charter Twp, Michigan

WHAT IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?
    Domestic violence, battering, abuse, and domestic abuse mean the same thing. They all describe a pattern of coercive control which one
    person exercises over another. Abusers use physical and sexual violence, threats, money, emotional and psychological abuse to control their
    partners and get their way. Domestic assault is against the law. Hitting, strangling, shoving, slapping, biting, burning, or kicking someone is
    a crime. Domestic violence and assault involve people who are married or formerly married, living together or have lived together, dating in a
    relationship or have dated, or have a child together.

THE PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP POLICE DEPARTMENT'S GOALS:

    The goals of this department’s domestic violence response policy are:
    1) To establish arrest as the preferred response to domestic violence;
    2) To hold assailants accountable;
    3) To protect victims;
    4) To reduce domestic homicides;
    5) To reduce domestic assaults;
    6) To reduce police callbacks;
    7) To reduce injuries to officers; and
    8) To reduce liability risks for the department and officers

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE POLICE OFFICER:
    The Pittsfield Township Police Department provides services that specifically addresses domestic violence. Many of the services are performed
    by the Domestic Violence Police Officer.

    The Domestic Violence Police Officer is Officer Tiffany Small. Officer Small can be reached at 734-944-4911 X110. You can also email
   Officer Small at smallt@pittsfielddps.org.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER PROGRAMS:

    DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROJECT / SAFE HOUSE
    P.O. Box 7052, Ann Arbor, MI 48107
    Business Line (734) 973-0242 Fax (734)973-7817
    Website: www.safehousecenter.org

    24 HOUR CRISIS TELEPHONE LINE (734) 995-5444 
    NATIONWIDE TOLL FREE HOTLINE: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
    HEARING IMPAIRED TOLL FREE TDD LINE: 1-800-787-3224

    Information about emergency shelter, counseling services and other legal rights of domestic violence victims is available from the above listed
    resources.

PERSONAL PROTECTION ORDERS:
    Personal Protection Orders (PPOs) are orders of the Washtenaw County Trial Court that forbid or require a person to do something. The
    person filing a PPO is the petitioner, and the person you file a PPO against is the respondent.

    LEGAL RIGHTS
        Your legal rights include the right to go to court and file a petition requesting a personal protection order to protect you or other members
        of your household from domestic abuse. The order can prohibit the abuser from doing many things, including;
        1) Having contact with the you or your minor children,
        2) Threatening you,
        3) Sending objects, mail, email, phone calls, voice mails, or text messages to you,
        4) Going to your home, school, or workplace
        5) Interfering with the your work or educational opportunities, 
        6) Stalking you, and much more.
        Your legal rights also include the right to go to court and file a motion for an order to show cause and a hearing if the abuser is violating or
        has violated a personal protection order.

    HOW TO FILE A PERSONAL PROTECTION ORDER:
        Contact the PPO Liaison at (734) 222-3001 (Washtenaw County Trial Court).  The PPO Liaison will assist you throughout the filing process.
        If you are a survivor of intimate partner stalking or violence, you can also contact SAFE House at 734-973-0242 for assistance in
        obtaining a PPO from the Court. Neither a police report nor police assistance is required to obtain a personal protection order.

Information pamphlets on Personal Protection Orders are available at The Pittsfield Township Department of Public Safety. For Personal Protection Order frequently asked questions, visit our Personal Protection Order FAQ Pages.