Newly formed domestic abuse task force already making an impact in Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno Police and the district attorney's office are cracking down on domestic violence.

Just one week from its inception, Fresno Police's Domestic Violence Apprehension unit has put 34 people in custody, 28 of them from the department's target list.

"Some of these guys are repeat offenders, crimes of violence, a couple of them had used knives in their assaults of victims," Sgt. Michael Manfredi with the Fresno Police Department said.

The unit's creation is in response to a surge in domestic violence with last years calls to service averaging around 15 per day.

Now, extra officers are deployed to help make arrests and help victims.

Manfredi supervises the newly created unit and says it's a citywide problem, one that's become so common that, often times, people aren't calling to report it..

"The problem is these keep escalating," he said. "We've had some domestic related homicides. Each time gets worse that's why the need to pick these people up or in custody or some kind of programs to help the family."

Officers do more than arrest, they aim to break the cycle.

"Help getting out of abusive relationships and into counseling," Manfredi explained. "In court, what's one of the things they're accounting for abusive behavior is they were in an abusive home and they witnessed domestic violence."

Manfredi attributes drug problems and learned behavior as the leading causes of the violence.

The arrests assist other units as well because as officers go door to door looking for domestic violence offenders, they're finding people involved with other serious crimes.

Our cameras were rolling for their latest arrest.

While searching for a man wanted for a domestic dispute, they found another with an illegal weapon.

"Were finding other people wanted for other types of felonies violations of parole and probation," Manfredi said.