Oklahoma officers receive training on strangulation, domestic violence warning signs

Law enforcement officers from across Oklahoma are in Glenpool this week for training on how to recognize strangulation signs in domestic violence cases.

GLENPOOL, Okla. -Law enforcement officers from across Oklahoma are in Glenpool this week learning how to recognize and investigate strangulation in domestic violence cases.

The Muscogee Nation is hosting the training, which brings together officers from agencies including Lighthorse Police, the Tulsa Police Department and the Oklahoma City Police Department.

The training focuses on the signs and symptoms of strangulation and what officers should look for when responding to domestic violence calls.

Gael Strack, a former prosecutor and defense attorney who now focuses on homicide prevention, is one of two people leading the training.

Strack said many officers already have training on responding to domestic violence, but strangulation cases require a closer look at injuries and symptoms that can be easy to miss.

“It could be a raspy voice, you can see that they’re having trouble swallowing, or they might have a sign that’s very subtle—tiny little red spots that we call petechiae,” Strack said.

According to the State of Oklahoma, 40% of women and 38% of men experience some form of domestic violence. Various studies have ranked Oklahoma among the states with the highest rates of domestic violence.

Strack said victims who experience a first strangulation incident are 750% more likely to be killed by the same person who strangled them.

“I think any time that you have that badge where you’re one of the states with the most domestic violence homicides, it gives them and it gives us a sense of purpose that we can make a difference to make a change,” Strack said.

Lighthorse Police Cpl. Bryan Reyes attended the training and said he learned about injuries he had not previously known could be indicators of strangulation.

“There’s injuries behind the ear that I didn’t know of, injuries around the ankles that I didn’t know of,” Reyes said.

Reyes said Lighthorse Police officers frequently respond to domestic violence calls because of the size of their jurisdiction.

He said additional training helps officers better investigate those cases and provide services to victims.

“It’s pretty important because we have to be able to provide good services for the victims,” Reyes said.

The training will continue throughout the week with officers from different law enforcement agencies.

Anyone experiencing domestic violence can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).

The Muscogee Nation also operates a 24/7 victim services hotline at 918-732-7979.

Additional resources are available through DomesticShelters.org.