Longmont police officer pens kids’ book about domestic violence

By Peter Budoff, Longmont Ledger

As a detective for the Longmont Police Department, Sara Pierce has seen her share of domestic violence cases. She’s seen how hard it is for children to understand and cope with the incidents they witness at home.

It’s because of those experiences that Pierce decided to write a children’s book about dealing with domestic violence.

Longmont police detective Sara Pierce has written a children's book about dealing with domestic violence. Cliff Grassmick

“On a Dark, Dark Night” tells the story of a polar bear cub who one day witnesses his father strike his mother. The book follows Cub’s experiences as he deals with the events and finds support from his friends Moose and Eagle.

Pierce said she sought to deal with the complex and serious issue of domestic violence in a way that even very young kids could understand.

“I think kids can place themselves in the story and find some comfort in it,” Pierce said. “It can be an outlet for kids to turn to and relate it to their own stories, and realize that they’re not alone.”

Pierce originally began writing down her thoughts on domestic violence, never intending to produce a children’s book. She pitched the idea when she realized the lack of resources for children to read about the issue.

She said her foray into writing was a difficult experience with many unexpected challenges, but that it has been rewarding to finally finish.

“It’s neat to see a few words turn into a finished product,” she said. “It’s been a great learning experience.”

The book is being published by the Longmont Ending Domestic Violence Initiative and was funded largely by donations from local Rotary Clubs and the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office.

Proceeds from book sales will go to LEVI and will be used partly to fund future releases of the book.

Pierce will sign copies of the book at a launch party Wednesday at the Longmont Public Library.

She said she will view the success of the book in terms of the effect it has on children, rather than sales.

“If it affects just one child, and it can make a difference in their life, that’s a success for me,” she said.