MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – Oftentimes, domestic violence victims are targeted multiple times, and those interactions can turn deadly.
To try and prevent that, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed the Debbie and Marie Domestic Violence Protection Act into law this week, requiring offenders to wear GPS monitors.
It was three years ago when mother and daughter Marie Varsos and Debbie Sisco were killed by Marie’s estranged husband in Middle Tennessee. Now, Shelby County Sheriff’s Sergeant Richard McKinney tells Action News 5 a renewed state law is back to help victims track their domestic violence abusers.
“In the past, it was grant-funded. Now, since it’s been signed by Governor Lee, the state will take care of all the funding for it,” said McKinney.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Paul Rose and Rep. Clay Doggett, requires domestic violence offenders who use a weapon or strangle their victims during an assault to wear a GPS monitor while out on bail, unless a court determines the offender is no longer a threat to the victim or the public.
“Offenders will be tracked by a cellular device and location services where it would be an ankle monitor or a web-based app on a cellular device, whether it be a cell phone or natural mobile device that they will have to carry. It would also be for the victims as well, so those two devices will actually talk to each other,” said McKinney.
Sergeant McKinney, who oversees the Shelby County Sheriff’s Domestic Violence Unit, says a large number of calls to SCSO are domestic-related incidents.
According to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, in 2022, deputies responded to roughly 3,600 DV calls, 3,500 in 2023, and so far this year, 1,400.
Sergeant McKinney said the monitoring system can help lower the domestic violence reoffender rate.
It is unclear when we will see sentencing in Shelby County reflect the new law.
Original Source: Stephanie Douglas, actionnews5. Click here to view original post!