$250,000 grant will help battle domestic violence in Tucson

A local coalition battling domestic violence is getting a $250,000 boost from Tucson philanthropists.

The grant from Tucson Foundations will help police and prosecutors roll out a new risk assessment questionnaire to better determine when victims are in danger of death or injury, the Pima County Attorney’s Office announced Friday.

Results of the risk assessments will be shared with judges who set bail or probation terms for domestic abuse suspects.

The grant will also pay for law enforcement training, more victim advocates and additional support services for those deemed at highest risk of harm from domestic abuse.

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The coalition that won the grant includes the county attorney, Emerge! Center Against Domestic Abuse, Southern Arizona Legal Aid and an array of local law enforcement agencies including Tucson Police Department and Pima County Sheriff's Department.

“It’s incredibly exciting to us that a coalition like this will change the shape of domestic violence response,” said Jennifer Lohse, a director of Tucson Foundations, which is run by the Lohse family.

Lohse said the grant marks the first time the foundations have funded a domestic violence program jointly run by public and nonprofit entities.

Domestic violence is the most common violent crime in Pima County, generating about 13,000 calls a year to local law enforcement, the county attorney's office said.