New Domestic Violence Unit to debut in Parsons in September

Last Friday (July 19th), police in Parsons, Kansas were notified about a possible domestic assault in that city.

Officers contacted the  42-year-old female victim who described assaults that transpired over a period of days.

At the time of the assaults, no one else was home at the residence. There was physical evidence of on- going violent conduct inside the residence with damaged walls and doors. The victim reported she had been repeatedly punched and choked to the point of not being able to breathe. He also allegedly held the victim against her will. There were several instances of reported sexual assault that also occurred over a period of days.

The assailant reportedly told the victim that he was going “to slaughter the family.”

Officers subsequently arrested 36-year-old Justin Wayne Schwark, a Parsons resident at the scene.

Schwark was taken to the Parsons Police Department for processing. The suspect was arrested for Felony Aggravated Domestic Battery, Felony Aggravated Kidnapping and Criminal Threat (causing terror).

Prior to being transferred to the Labette County Jail on Saturday, July 20th, Schwark was given a bail amount of $15,000 which he posted before he could be booked into the county jail.

The victim is receiving protective assistance.

New Domestic Violence Unit Forming

Parsons Police Department is in the process of setting up a new Domestic Violence Unit (DVU)
that should debut in September that will have Detective Sergeant Tony Adamson devoting his attention
full-time to domestic and intimate partner violence.

He will be joined by a new Victim Advocate who has received a conditional job offer as she completes the last of her testing.

This program will also create a High-Risk Team (HRT) that will meet to review not just prosecution efforts, but also to dig to find as many services as possible for victims to extricate themselves from violent and risky relationships.

This will bring state agencies, local non-profits, and school and college resources together to help victims get on their feet, prepare them for jobs, or educational opportunities so they can break away from the cycle of violence.