Wheaton Police Department officers will serve on a new countywide team created to investigate domestic violence deaths and near-fatalities in DuPage County.

DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin announced the formation of the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team within the 18th Judicial Circuit, Shaw Local reported. The DuPage County State's Attorney's Office also posted the announcement on X on Monday, Oct. 26.

The team will examine domestic violence cases involving deaths or near-deaths, reconstruct the events and responses leading up to each case, and look for missed warning signs or intervention opportunities, according to a news release cited by Shaw Local.

After its reviews, the team plans to recommend changes to statewide policies, practices and prevention strategies.

"With October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we are all reminded that domestic violence affects us all and is not confined to a behind-closed-doors cycle of violence, leaving victims to suffer in silence," Berlin said in the release.

Who's on the team

The review team draws volunteer members from multiple county offices and local police departments. Government participants include the DuPage County state's attorney's, coroner's, public defender's and probation offices, along with officers from the Wheaton, West Chicago and Willowbrook police departments.

Advocacy organizations on the team include Family Shelter Service of Metropolitan Family Services DuPage, the Center for Advancing Domestic Peace, the Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Family Services, Document the Abuse and the DuPage Family Center.

Berlin credited Tessa Kuipers, project director of the statewide Domestic Violence Fatality Review initiative, for guiding the project forward.

The Wheaton Police Department has not publicly identified which officers will participate or how many. The announcement also did not specify when the team will hold its first meeting or how cases will be referred for review.

Residents experiencing domestic violence can contact Family Shelter Service at 630-469-5650.