Domestic Violence & Police Response in Manitoba
What to expect when Manitoba police respond to domestic violence situations.
Understanding Police Response and Protection Orders in Canada
1. Scene Safety Steps When Police Are Called
When police attend a relationship-violence call, their first focus is usually immediate safety for everyone at the scene.
Common steps can include:
- Checking for injuries and calling paramedics if needed
- Separating the people involved to hear from each person privately
- Removing weapons that are visible or easily accessible
- Assessing if anyone is in immediate danger of further harm
- Checking if children, elders, or others in the home need protection
- Deciding whether someone should be removed from the home for safety
Police processes can differ by province or territory, and even between local police services. If you feel able, you can calmly tell officers what helps you feel safer (for example, speaking in another room or away from children).
2. Arrest vs. Release Conditions
When an Arrest May Happen
Across Canada, police may arrest a person if they have grounds to believe a criminal offence has occurred, or that someone is at risk of further harm. In many relationship-violence situations, this may include:
- Physical assault or threats of serious harm
- Harassment, stalking, or repeated unwanted contact
- Damage to property used to intimidate or control
- Breaches of earlier court orders or conditions
Police decide whether to arrest based on what they see, what they hear from those involved and any witnesses, and other evidence. It is not your responsibility to decide if someone is charged.
What Release Conditions Are
If a person is arrested, they are often released from police custody with conditions while their charges are dealt with in court. These are sometimes called “conditions,” “undertaking,” or “recognizance,” depending on the situation and province or territory.
Release conditions can include:
- Not contacting you directly or indirectly
- Staying away from your home, work, school, or other places you go
- Not possessing weapons or certain items
- Not consuming alcohol or drugs in certain situations
- Reporting to a police station at set times
Police or victim services can usually tell you what conditions are in place. If it is safe to do so, you may want to write them down or keep a copy somewhere the person cannot access.
3. No-Contact Terms and What They Mean
No-contact terms are rules that say a person must not communicate with you. They can appear in several different documents, such as police release conditions, bail orders, or family court orders.
No-contact terms may cover:
- Direct contact, such as in person, by phone, text, email, or social media
- Indirect contact, such as messages sent through friends, relatives, or co-workers
- Contact through online accounts, apps, or gaming platforms
Sometimes, limited contact is allowed only for specific reasons, such as arranging parenting time, and may need to happen through a neutral person, a supervised location, or a communication app.
If a person under no-contact terms reaches out to you, this may be a breach of their conditions. In most areas, you are not responsible for enforcing the order, but you can choose to report a breach to police if it feels safe to do so.
4. How Police Actions Connect to Protection Orders
Police involvement and criminal charges are separate from civil Protection Orders (sometimes called protection orders, restraining orders, peace bonds, or other names, depending on the province or territory). However, they can be closely connected in practice.
Information Police May Share
After a police call, you may be contacted by victim services or a similar program. They can often explain:
- What criminal charges or conditions are in place
- Whether no-contact or stay-away terms exist already
- Whether a separate Protection Order might be an option to consider
In some regions, police can help you start or apply for a certain type of Protection Order. In other regions, you may need to attend a court office or speak with duty counsel or a legal clinic instead.
Criminal Conditions vs. Protection Orders
Criminal release conditions and Protection Orders can both include rules such as no contact, keeping distance, or not possessing weapons, but they come from different systems:
- Criminal conditions come from police and criminal courts, and are tied to criminal charges.
- Protection Orders usually come from family or civil courts and can sometimes be requested even if there are no current criminal charges.
Some people have both criminal conditions and a civil Protection Order at the same time. In many places, breaching either may lead to police involvement, but the exact process can vary.
Names, processes, and requirements for Protection Orders are different across Canada. Local legal clinics, duty counsel, or community advocates can explain what is available in your area without giving you legal representation.
Deciding Whether to Seek a Protection Order
Only you can decide what feels safest and most realistic for your situation. Some people consider a Protection Order when:
- Police have been called one or more times
- There is a pattern of threats, harassment, or monitoring
- They want boundaries in place even if criminal charges change or are withdrawn
- They need clear rules around contact related to children, property, or shared spaces
Talking with a trusted advocate or legal information service can help you weigh the safety impacts, limits, and possible risks of any order before deciding.
5. Safety Planning Around Police and Orders
Having conditions or an order in place does not guarantee safety, but they can be one tool within a broader safety plan.
Possible steps to consider, if it feels safe, include:
- Keeping copies of any police conditions or Protection Orders in a safe place
- Telling only those you trust (for example, a neighbour or workplace contact) what to do if they see a breach
- Reviewing what information about you is visible online and adjusting privacy settings
- Planning how you might contact police if needed, including times when phone access may be limited
Additional support options and information on safety from relationship harm across Canada can be found through resources listed at DV.Support.