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Parents of Crystal Judson Brame receive accolades

22 December 2005

Lane and Patty Judson remained true to a promise they made their daughter on her deathbed to help protect other women from domestic violence. She was murdered in April 2003 by her husband, chief of Tacoma’s police department.

On Thursday, the Judson’s were recognized for the integral role they played in creating the first federal grant program specifically to address cases of domestic violence committed by law enforcement officials.

Over the weekend, the Senate and House passed the Crystal Judson Brame Domestic Violence Protocol Program as part of legislation to extend the 1994 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Authored by U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee and supported by other members of the Washington state congressional delegation, the measure makes funds available to law enforcement agencies under the so-call STOP, or Special Training Officers and Prosecutors, grant program to implement agency policies on domestic violence, sexual assault and other serious crimes committed by their employees and provide trained advocates for such victims. It is expected to be signed into law before the end of this year.

“It’s a feat to move legislation through the lawmaking process,” said Inslee when he presented the Judson’s with an official copy of the measure named after their daughter at a meeting in downtown Tacoma on Thursday. “The Judsons have done the impossible by affecting change at the federal and state level,” he continued, referring to a law enacted in March 2004, which requires Washington state police agencies to adopt specific policies for dealing with domestic violence committed by employees.

"Federal legislation such as this can only be viewed as a positive approach to encourage and motivate law enforcement agencies nationwide to address domestic violence,” Lane Judson commented. “In the state of Washington, law enforcement agencies already have this type of policy implemented under State Bill 6161. I hope that every state nationwide utilizes this opportunity to become the best of the best.”

In addition to Inslee, Grace Huang, public policy coordinator at the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Colleen Wilson, chief of police at the Sumner Police Department and representative of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs discussed the importance of the new federal grant program. U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, who helped secure federal funds along with U.S. Sen. Patty Murray for the newly opened Crystal Judson Family Center in Tacoma, also spoke at the event.