Domestic Violence & Police Response in Rhode Island
What to expect when Rhode Island police respond to DV incidents.
What May Happen When Police Are Called for Relationship Harm
1. What Police May Do at the Scene
When police are called to a situation involving relationship harm, they usually:
- Check if anyone is injured and may call paramedics
- Separate people to hear different versions of what happened
- Look around for signs of violence, damaged items, or weapons
- Ask about any past incidents or existing court orders
- Check ID and run database checks for warrants or past charges
- Decide whether they have grounds to lay criminal charges
2. When Police Might Make an Arrest
Police may arrest someone if they believe a criminal offence has happened or there is a safety risk. Factors can include:
- Visible injuries or reports of serious threats
- Statements from the people involved or witnesses
- Past police calls or history of reported violence
- Weapons being present or used
- Concerns that harm might continue if no arrest is made
If someone is arrested, police may:
- Take the person into custody for a period of time
- Release them later with conditions, or
- Hold them for a bail hearing, where a court decides if they can be released and under what conditions
3. No‑Contact and Other Release Conditions
When a person is released from custody, they may receive conditions. Common conditions in relationship‑harm cases include:
- No contact: they must not contact the protected person directly or indirectly (for example, through others or online)
- No‑go areas: they may be ordered to stay away from a home, workplace, school, or other locations
- Weapons conditions: they may have to surrender or not possess weapons
- Substance conditions: they may be told not to use alcohol or drugs in certain situations
No‑contact and other conditions can be set by:
- Police on release from the station (often called an undertaking or promise with conditions)
- A judge or justice at a bail hearing
- A court later on, if there are criminal charges and a sentence
4. What No‑Contact Conditions May Mean for You
When there is a no‑contact condition in place, it can affect daily life, including:
- Who can live in the home and who must leave
- How parenting time or child exchanges are arranged
- Whether contact is allowed through lawyers or third parties only
- How digital communication (texts, calls, social media) must stop
If the person tries to contact you when a no‑contact condition is in place, this may be a breach of their conditions. Police may decide whether to investigate or lay further charges.
5. How No‑Contact Orders Differ from Protective Orders
No‑contact conditions and protective orders can both limit contact, but they come from different systems:
- No‑contact conditions usually come from the criminal process, connected to an arrest, charge, or criminal case.
- Protective orders (sometimes called emergency protection orders, restraining orders, or peace bonds) can come from criminal or family / civil courts, depending on the province or territory.
Key differences often include:
- Who applies for the order
- Which court is involved (criminal, family, or civil)
- How long the order lasts and how it can be changed
- What specific conditions can be included (for example, temporary parenting arrangements or exclusive use of a home)
For an overview of different types of protective orders in Canada and how they may be used in safety planning, you can read more on the protective orders page.