Attorney General Phil Weiser announced that the Colorado Department of Law is granting $44,263 to TESSA. This funding will support the management of El Paso County’s newly established local domestic violence fatality review board for two years. The announcement was made during a press conference at TESSA’s offices in Colorado Springs, attended by law enforcement officials and community partners.
Weiser stated, “Organizations like TESSA play a vital role in our collective efforts to address and prevent domestic violence.” He emphasized that the grant would help El Paso County's first domestic violence fatality review board gain insights from tragic cases to better understand risk factors and prevent future incidents.
The 2023 annual report from the state’s review board indicated a record high number of domestic violence fatalities in Colorado for 2022, with at least 94 lives lost. Among these, 39 individuals were killed by their current or former intimate partners.
Anne Markley, CEO of TESSA, remarked on the importance of the new board: “Our newly formed Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board is a critical initiative for our community’s response to domestic violence.” She highlighted collaboration with local law enforcement and judicial bodies as essential for understanding case complexities and developing protective strategies.
Michael Allen, 4th Judicial District Attorney, commented on the formation of the board: “The formation of this board will provide insight into a crime that’s oftentimes committed in patterns of escalating behaviors.”
Under state law, communities can form local review teams to analyze fatal and near-fatal incidents involving domestic violence. These teams include law enforcement officials, prosecutors, judges, advocates, and survivors who examine closed cases to identify risk factors. Their findings are shared with the state review board to inform policies aimed at improving Colorado's response to domestic violence.
El Paso County's new board will be one of four such boards in Colorado. The Department of Law plans to release its annual report later this month with data for 2023.
For those in crisis within El Paso County or needing immediate support during Domestic Violence Awareness Month or any other time, resources are available through various hotlines including TESSA’s safe line and the National Domestic Violence Hotline.