New AI Tool Helps Police Protect Domestic Violence Survivors

Police officers responding to domestic violence calls face an impossible task: de-escalate conflict, protect children, check for weapons, and gather detailed testimony while managing their own stress and exhaustion. Now researchers at Washington State University have built an AI assistant to help them do it better.

The free app works like a supportive partner guiding officers through one of the toughest parts of their job. It prompts investigators to ask the right questions, then suggests follow-up questions based on the specific answers they're hearing. The tool also provides instant interpretation of laws and statutes so officers can make accurate decisions during their first contact with survivors.

"There's a huge cognitive load," said Christina Shellabarger, a PhD student at WSU's Complex Social Interactions Lab. "You're managing a fast-moving situation while trying to remember procedures, resources, and everything that needs to be documented."

The app does more than just ask questions. It translates languages so survivors with limited English can communicate more effectively under stress. It recommends immediate actions like contacting child protective services. It even helps officers document information the same way every time, making it easier to spot dangerous patterns from repeat offenders who may be escalating.

"You can start to see patterns you wouldn't otherwise catch," says computer scientist Shlok Tomar. "It's not about collecting more data. It's about collecting the right data and making it usable in the moment."

WSU is now recruiting police departments and survivor advocacy groups to test the open-source system and customize it for their communities. The beta version launches later this year, with a stable release coming in early 2027.

Future updates will include automated keyword detection that triggers trauma-informed questions. The wording of those questions will adapt based on what officers are hearing, making interviews more effective and less retraumatizing for survivors.

The Ripple Effect

When officers have better tools to document abuse, survivors get better protection. Standardized information collection means cases can be compared across departments, helping prosecutors build stronger cases. Repeat offenders become visible before situations turn deadly. Language barriers that once left survivors unheard simply disappear.

Professor David Makin, who leads the CSI Lab, sees this as exactly what public universities should do. "Take research out of the lab, build something useful, and put it in the hands of the people who need it," he says.

The right information at the right time could mean the difference between a survivor getting help or becoming another tragic statistic.