DBPD Alters Policy For Domestic Cases In Light Of 95-Year-Old Grandma's Arrest

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Daytona Beach, FL - The Daytona Beach Police Department (DBPD) says it is altering its policy for responding to domestic violence cases involving elderly defendants after a 95-year-old Daytona Beach grandmother was arrested last weekend after she allegedly smacked her granddaughter in the face with a slipper. At around 11:45 AM on Saturday, May 5, DBPD responded to 925 Loomis Ave. 95-year-old Hattie Reynolds told officers that her 46-year-old granddaughter would not get out of bed when she asked her to. Reynolds then starting yelling and ended up smacking her granddaughter in the face with the slipper she was wearing, police say. Reynolds was taken into custody and was charged with misdemeanor battery for domestic violence. Read earlier reporting here. In light of the arrest, Daytona Beach Police Deputy Chief Jakari Young announced this week that the department will now ensure that the on-duty supervisor will respond to any domestic violence cases where a defendant is an elderly person so that the supervisor can better assess the situation. DBPD says last year, officers responded to 1,309 calls for service involving domestic violence or a domestic dispute. That number was down 19% from the previous year. "Sadly, we have seen domestic violence calls turn deadly. This is why since 2012, it has been the department’s policy to arrest the primary aggressor when called to the scene of a domestic dispute," explains Young. "An arrest diffuses the situation and keeps all parties safe. This is what happened in the case of Hattie Reynolds. Responding officers followed the department’s established policy, which does not allow for officer discretion in the face of age, gender, or disability."

(Reynolds's mugshot courtesy Volusia County Jail)

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