(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Trooper Cars)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) will implement the Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) that is aimed at protecting domestic violence survivors from life-threatening abuse.

LAP is an initiative that is evidence-based.

It is designed to help law enforcement identify victims of domestic violence who may be at heightened risk of death and to connect them with lifesaving support.

The PSP has developed training that is based on the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s (PCADV) LAP model which will enable troopers who respond to qualifying domestic violence incidents to use a standardized lethality screening process to identify factors that are associated with increased risk of homicide.

Troopers can facilitate an immediate connection with a local domestic violence advocate or hotline when an individual is identified as being at elevated risk.

That connection allows the victim to receive advocacy, safety planning, shelter referrals and other services that are available.