MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — A group of police, prosecutors and victims’ advocates are taking another big step to fight domestic violence in Snohomish County.
Members of the South Snohomish County Domestic Violence Task Force plan to apply for nonprofit status for the group in coming months.
The group says the change will help it expand its efforts to end domestic abuse.
“We’ve accomplished quite a bit in the last few years but we want to be able to do more,” said Tammy McElyea, domestic violence coordinator for the Mountlake Terrace Police Department.
The task force, which met for the first time in 2003, was recently recognized by the county for its contribution to the community.
The group helped implement a county program that automatically notifies domestic violence victims, both women and men, that their abusers are being released from jail.
The task force also has given free training to police and started a campaign about the link between animal abuse and domestic violence.
“We’ve wanted to do more but at this point we don’t have the money,” McElyea said.
Becoming a nonprofit organization will help the task force raise money to support more programs and public education, she said.
“It will also mean we’re putting a real solid commitment,” McElyea said.
The task force hopes more people who have a hand in stopping domestic violence will come to the table, including the medical community and schools.
“We’ve done so much but we have so far to go,” McElyea said. “There are still people getting injured and there are still kids watching it happen.”
Diana Hefley is a reporter with The Herald in Everett.
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