Law Officers Team Up With Verizon To Help Domestic Violence Victims

Recent metro murders of three women serve as a warning to others. Local law enforcement agencies have partnered with Verizon Wireless to help women in need. 

“HopeLine” provides cellphones to domestic violence victims. Verizon takes old cellphones that have been donated to law enforcement agencies, and refurbishes them. 

The Grady County Sheriff’s Department just joined the program three weeks ago. Sheriff Jim Weir says his donation box is already more than half full.

“It never stops. I’ve been in this business forty years. It used to be there wasn’t a whole lot we could do. But now there’s companies like this that are participating, and helping a lot of the volunteer agencies,” he said. 

Melissa Blanton is with the District Attorney’s Council.

“Victims often don’t have access to law enforcement, they can’t call the police for help because their abusers are tracking their every move,” she said.     

HopeLine has donated hundreds of cellphones nationally since the project began 14 years ago. 

Click here to learn more about the HopeLine program.