Bismarck, North Dakota, Police Department Honored For Domestic Violence Intervention In The Community

BISMARCK, ND — Verizon Wireless, a corporate leader in domestic violence prevention, today presented Chief Keith Witt and the Bismarck Police Department with the company’s HopeLine® Champion Award: Law Enforcement Partnership. The award, given during the annual Abused Adult Resource Center (AARC) PULSE luncheon in Bismarck, N.D., recognizes individuals or agencies involved in law enforcement that have demonstrated extraordinary commitment and focus on preventing domestic violence and raising awareness in their communities.

North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem assisted in presenting the award to Chief Witt. “The Bismarck Police Department has been at the forefront in the collaborative effort by law enforcement in this community to ensure victims of domestic violence receive both justice and services,” he said.

In addition to the award, Cary Degenstein, associate director—Great Plains Region, Verizon Wireless presented the AARC with a $15,000 grant through the company’s HopeLine program for use with the agency’s operating expenses and sponsorship of the PULSE event.

Witt and the Bismarck Police Department were recommended for the Verizon award by Diane Zainhofsky, executive director of AARC. “Chief Witt and his department have been very active in our effort to create a victim-centered coordinated community response protocol,” she said.

Seamus Hyland, president-Great Plains Region, Verizon Wireless said, “Through this award, we are proud to honor the efforts of public safety organizations that are committed to taking action in their communities to end domestic violence. The AARC, in conjunction with law enforcement, is making a difference in North Dakota to end domestic violence.”

Chief Witt and the Bismarck Police Department joins a distinguished list of individuals who have been honored with this award, including Police Chief Timothy J. Dolan of the Minneapolis Police Department; Police Chief Gerald Whitman of the Denver Police Department; Police Chief Ronald L. DePompa of the Glendale, Calif., Police Department; the Georgia chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE); and Sheriff Al Lamberti of the Broward County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office.

Verizon is a recognized corporate leader for its commitment to preventing domestic violence and raising awareness of the issue. HopeLine from Verizon puts the nation’s most reliable wireless network to work in the community by collecting no-longer-used wireless phones, batteries and accessories in any condition from any wireless service provider and turning them into support for domestic violence victims.

For more information on HopeLine from Verizon, visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 106.3 million total wireless connections, including 89.7 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

About AARC
AARC is a nonprofit that provides services for domestic violence and sexual assault victims in a seven-county area in south-central North Dakota. More information is available at www.abusedadultresourcecenter.com

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