Other LanguagesOLYMPIA – In keeping with his long-standing commitment to fighting domestic violence, Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced the appointment of Investigator Larry McKnight as the office’s Domestic Violence Liaison, a half-time position created as a new resource for local communities.
McKnight, a 10-year veteran of the office, will now be available to all counties statewide to play a supporting role in virtually any aspect of domestic violence where the Attorney General’s Office can be of assistance to local communities.
“The Attorney General’s Office can and should play a leadership role in helping local communities combat domestic violence in our state,” McKenna said.
McKnight will immediately begin the task of assessing the problem of domestic violence statewide. Since recordkeeping on domestic violence issues varies among counties, he is working to compile accurate data for the entire state.
McKnight will be a resource for local domestic violence task forces, and offer his assistance with such issues as policies and procedures, best practices and legislative needs. He’ll also be working with the criminal justice community and others on the front lines to ensure that every agency in the state has adopted a culture throughout the ranks that recognizes domestic violence as a top priority.
“The best thing about Larry’s new position is that local communities will ultimately define his new role based on how we can best assist them,” McKenna said.
McKnight brings to the position more than 15 years of uniformed law enforcement experience, specializing in child and sexual assault crimes. He is an experienced advocate for domestic violence victims, a Certified Law Enforcement Trainer and a member of the AGO Domestic Violence Resource Team. He also served on Oregon's Marion County District Attorney’s Task Force on Domestic Violence, which improved procedures on all levels of domestic violence response statewide.
The Domestic Violence Liaison is a half-time position, and McKnight will continue working half-time as a Torts investigator.
– 30 –
Media Contacts:
Maureen Scharber, Public Information Officer, (360) 753-6224