I rode with Kansas City police officer Ben Dougherty Saturday night in the North Patrol Division. It was a slow shift, but I'll report what happened in several posts today.
First call 3:02 p.m.:
Is there any scene of domestic violence that's not sad?
We're at the 2nd-floor apartment of Jason, Jacob and Heather. The guys are both 24 and hearing-impaired. Jason is alone when we get there. Six hours earlier, about 9 a.m., Jacob slugged Jason in the eye, we learn.
Jason let it go, but a friend in chat hours later urged him to call police, so he did.
We track Jacob to his mom's house at another apartment complex. Jacob and Heather stayed up the previous night drinking whiskey, she says.
"It's kind of a love triangle", she says."It's always sad to see friends end up this way."
Officer Dougherty faces a choice. This assault can require a $1,000 bond, potentially requiring Jacob to spend the weekend in lockup. Or, Dougherty could release him on his signature and promise to appear.
Booking Jacob at the city jail would require a signing interpreter. But the KCPD only has one, and she's not available. Dougherty calls his sergeant and a DV detective, but they both leave it up to him.
"I really don't want him going in without an interpreter," Jacob's mom tells police. Dougherty releases Jacob, then goes back to Jason's apartment to help make sure there's no further confrontation.
We spent 90 minutes on this call.
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