Calgary police say their year-old anti-domestic violence pilot project is showing good results.Calgary police say their year-old anti-domestic violence pilot project is showing good results. (CBC)

An anti-domestic violence pilot project in the city's northeast has been showing results, Calgary police said Wednesday.

Police partnered with Calgary's Child and Family Services and the HomeFront agency last year to intervene in high-risk domestic conflict cases.

The Domestic Conflict Response Team has reduced the number of calls from families with chronic abuse problems, said Sgt. Krista Ryan.

The DCRT has reviewed 3,514 domestic violence reports and has reached out to 213 high-risk families. The team has been able to offer help and support to 444 adults and 236 children since it started its work in December 2009.

Ryan reviews every domestic report that comes in from the area and decides if there is a high risk of further violence

"It's not about going to the call any more and putting the Band-Aid on, or providing the reference card and hoping they call. We can actually hand-hold them through the process," Ryan said.

The DCRT conducts a risk assessment within 72 hours of a domestic violence incident. Outreach teams can go to court and get emergency protection orders for families or parenting orders, and they can connect people with the services they need, from shelters to counseling and addiction services.

Service extended to southern Calgary

Carma's family has benefited from the service. The Calgary woman has a 21-year-old daughter who is brain injured and suffers from mental illness.

The young woman spent her teen years on the street and then ended up in an abusive relationship. That's when the DCRT got involved.

"I just couldn't get all of what was needed at that time," said Carma, whose last name has been withheld to protect her daughter's identity.

Carma said she tried for years to get help for her daughter, but it was with the team's help that she got out of the abusive relationship.

"So thank goodness for them, because I can't imagine where she'd be."

Since its inception, the DCRT has expanded to southern Calgary.

The team, which currently operates on a funding commitment of $1.5 million over three years, is hoping to eventually expand its services to the entire city.