Section 18.65.515. Duties of peace officer in a crime involving domestic violence.

   (a) A peace officer investigating a crime involving domestic violence shall protect the victim and any member of the victim's family and prevent further violence by
        (1) transporting an adult victim and any member of the victim's family from the place of the offense or the place of contact, to a location within the community where the offense occurred that is a shelter, a safe home, or another location in the community requested by the victim;
        (2) assisting the victim in removing from the residence essential items belonging to the victim, such as clothing, vehicles, medication, personal records, and legal documents;
        (3) assisting the victim and any member of the victim's family in obtaining medical treatment necessitated by the offense, by contacting emergency medical services or by transporting the victim to a local medical facility, if available in the community where the offense occurred; and
        (4) providing notice of the rights of victims and services available to victims of domestic violence as provided in AS 18.65.520.
   (b) If a peace officer investigating a crime involving domestic violence determines that it is necessary to protect the victim or the victim's family from domestic violence or to protect the officer or the public during the investigation, the officer may (1) seize a deadly weapon in plain view of the officer, and (2) if a deadly weapon was actually possessed during or used in the domestic violence, seize all deadly weapons owned, used, possessed, or within the control of the alleged perpetrator. If the weapon is not needed as evidence in a criminal case, the law enforcement agency having custody of the weapon, within 24 hours of making the determination that the weapon is not needed as evidence in a criminal case, shall make the weapon available for pickup by the owner of the weapon during regular business hours.

Notes

History

(Sec. 27 ch 64 SLA 1996)