"We are trying to turn prosecution of domestic violence from a he-said, she-said (situation) into evidence based," said Assistant District Attorney Alison Endicott-Quiñones, who facilitated the session. "We are trying to do this more progressive approach toward prosecuting domestic violence because it's such a problem in New Mexico."

Endicott-Quiñones said the Belen police have begun to use a special incident report form specifically for domestic violence calls.

"It's mandatory (for Belen and Los Lunas), and it's eventually going to be approved by the legislature," she said.

She said the Valencia County Sheriff's Office is also going to begin using the form

Endicott-Quiñones reviews all domestic violence cases in Belen as part of her duties as a prosecutor.

She said part of the reason for evidence-based prosecution lies in the reality that victims of domestic violence will often refuse to cooperate in the prosecution of the offender. That refusal stems from confused feelings about the offender, or because the victim feels threatened.

Gathering evidence against a suspect takes the need for the victim to press charges out of the equation, she said. Sometimes, the victim will see the reality of the situation once he or she has been removed from it as abusers are often manipulative.

"It can be a wake up call," she said.

Endicott-Quiñones said she has seen an abuser get convicted on spousal abuse from a photograph an officer took of a hand print on a woman's shirt. She said something as simple as taking a picture of a picture of the suspect hanging from a wall can help to prove legal elements in a crime, such as whether the abuser lived in the house.

Belen Police Lt. Robert Miller spoke to officers about how to handle domestic violence calls and the changing viewpoints of the crime.

He said old attitudes toward domestic violence tended to treat it as a family problem, and an emphasis was placed on separating the parties and "getting them through the night."

He said that attitude makes the problem worse, and ignores the crime.

Current attitudes toward domestic violence treat it as a crime, and arresting the perpetrators often results in fewer repeat calls and a decrease in homicides related to it, Miller said.

He said it is important for officers to treat each visit to a home like the first time in order to avoid becoming frustrated or complacent.

"We are in a job where we have to have compassion toward the public," he said.

Miller said the state requires police agencies to conduct an hour of training for domestic violence. Belen police go through eight hours every two years. The sessions cover a variety of areas, including new laws and investigative techniques.

He said larger departments have specialized units for domestic violence, but a small department such as Belen is forced to cross train officers in multiple areas. That cross training will help produce well rounded officers, he said.

Belen Police Chief Mike Chavez praised the training session, and added that his officers conduct state required training sessions in house, which saves taxpayers money.