Pennsylvania Receives $1M Grant To Train Police Officers Across State

By Jim Melwert

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- Pennsylvania is getting a nearly $1-million federal grant, which will be used to train police officers across Pennsylvania to recognize the signs of domestic abuse.

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency is getting the $930,000 grant from federal Victims of Crime Act funds. PCCD chairman Josh Shapiro says they'll use the money will be used to create and distribute online training videos to municipal police officers.

"Why this is important is A: to obviously deal with that instant situation of domestic violence," he says, "but what we also know is when you have one initial instance of domestic violence, it can also lead to a more dangerous occurrence down the road."

Shapiro says they work with groups like the police chief's association to come up with programs. He says they hear from those groups that interactive online training is much more effective as officers can do the programs when it fits their schedules.