Police officers have a significant level of discretion when ethical decision-making is incorporated into the decision about how to respond to a domestic violence call. For example, officers exercise discretion in deciding how to respond to domestic violence when a situation involves a co-worker. America is a country in which many believe in privacy within the home and often choose not to be involved in domestic conflict because families should resolve their own issues. However, discretionary powers abused by a police officer are used to dissuade the victim from filing a complaint against the officer's colleague. Often, police officers choose not to make an arrest in a domestic dispute because they believe that the family, not the legal system, should resolve the problem. If the police officer abuses his discretionary power by persuading the victim not to file a complaint, he is going against community policing. Indeed, it does not serve the interests of the community, but rather the code of silence within a police department. This discretionary power is exercised even more when the domestic violence situation involves an off-duty police officer. When police officers commit domestic violence against their spouses, it is usually because officers are confronted with difficult citizens on the street on a daily basis and because of the high level of stress on the job, they take their frustrations out on the house and the spouse becomes the scapegoat for his feelings (Wetendorf, 1998: 3). In the past, when police officers responded to domestic violence calls from a police officer's spouse, they identified with the officer and favored their colleague rather than treating the incident as a criminal offense (Wetendorf, 1998: 1). . In many situations, officers...... middle of paper...... Gerry Sergeant (2004). The public relations officer for the Flagstaff Police Department was interviewed by the author on November 4, 2004Wetendrof, D. (1998). The police committed domestic violence. Battered Women's Justice Program. 1998 National Center for Women and Policing Conference. Las Vegas, Nevada. Wetendorf, D. and Davis, D.L. (2003). The abuse of police powers in relation to domestic violence officers. Protecting citizens, communities and businesses through education. Diane Wtendorf and Dottie L. Davis. Wetendrof, D. (2004). Survivor: Poem written by survivors of domestic violencehttp://www.dwetendorf.com/Story_Poem.htm5 I-Team (2001-2004). Attackers behind the badge? KPHO News 5 Live.Late-Breaking. Investigation team. Current world and news 5.Villa, J. (2002). The police classify offenders as victims of domestic violence. The Arizona Republic. October 19 edition 2002.