Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein announced his office will begin asking judges for a $500,000 minimum cash surety bond for domestic violence offenses involving a firearm or significant bodily injury.
Columbus police report domestic violence homicides in Columbus this year have already surpassed the total of seven that occurred in 2022. That number though is much lower than the 40 recorded in 2021.
Klein said his office is taking an aggressive stance to make sure abusers are separated from their victims and is hopeful the courts do the same.
"It'll be ultimately the court's decision, but we're not going to relent or give up knowing that there's victims out there, but yet the abuser stands in the way of their safety. We're gonna do our part to protect them," Klein said.
Klein said there was a rise in domestic violence offenses during the pandemic, as people were confined in close quarters with less resources. In addition, the level of abuse and type of injury has become more substantial.
"We want to make sure that we do our part as prosecutors to hold these individuals accountable, keep them out of society and away from their victims so it does not end up in a homicide situation," Klein said.
Klein's office has also instructed city prosecutors to request GPS monitoring at arraignment, no use of alcohol or drugs with random drug screenings and no weapons possession for the duration of the case for offenders.