The NYPD will now run criminal background checks on both the alleged attacker and victim when cases of domestic abuse are reported. More Info:

Women who report domestic violence are exposing themselves to arrest under a new NYPD directive that orders cops to run criminal checks on the accused and the accuser, The Post has learned.

The memo by Chief of Detectives Phil Pulaski requires detectives to look at open warrants, complaint histories and even the driving records of both parties.

“You have no choice but to lock them up” if the victims turn out to have warrants, including for minor offenses like unpaid tickets, a police source said.

We’re not entirely certain who thought this up, but definitely count us among the crowd of folks who think this is a terrible idea. We understand that situations like these might seem like excellent opportunities to catch elusive criminals, but giving people any reason to second-guess calling for help in domestic violence situations doesn’t sound like a particularly great idea. Traffic tickets don’t hold the same value as people’s lives. Thoughts?