Ray Orth, Deputy Sheriff, Kansas City

"Before the training on strangulation by Ms. McKay, I only looked for the visible injuries on a victim.  The well-put-together class taught me to look beyond what I see, and learn to look for other clues of the crime.  My first case of strangulation came just a few months after my training.  I could see the bruising and that was all.  Remembering my training, I asked the victim to tell me more about what her body was telling her.  She was able to relate that she felt like throwing up (was nauseated), she had a raspy voice, and she felt like she was coming in and out of a dreamlike state.  Her abuser was arrested and placed on a 24 hour hold.  The prosecutor came through with the domestic assault 2nd degree that I requested.  I believe that without the training given by a qualified and interesting speaker, I may not have been as successful.  If you get a chance to go to Ms. McKay's training, I recommend it highly.  My peers are surprised that a deputy with my limited experience (2.5 years as a reserve, 90 days full-time) has this type of information."

Update:

"I wanted to update you on my first strangulation case. The victim decided not to testify and the prosecutor was going to drop the case. My partner and I convinced him to give it a try for the Preliminary Hearing. When I testified the PA asked about my specialized training. I explained what the training consisted of, and how I was trained to determine strangulation with out visible injuries. Even when the victim lied about the strangulation, my testimony was enough to move the case to arraignment and closer to a trial. This has everything to do with the training I received from your 7 hour class."