Domestic Violence & Police Response in Saskatchewan
What survivors may expect when Saskatchewan police respond to domestic violence.
Understanding Police Response, Arrests, and No‑Contact Terms
What Police May Do at the Scene
When police respond to a call about relationship harm or violence, their first priority is usually to check safety. What actually happens can vary by province or territory, local police policy, and the specific situation.
- Separate people involved to speak with each person
- Check for visible injuries and ask about pain or medical needs
- Ask what happened, including about any history of harm or threats
- Look around the space for signs of damage, weapons, or safety risks
- Speak to children or other witnesses if it appears safe and appropriate
- Run checks for prior police calls, bail orders, probation, or protection orders
- Decide whether there are grounds to lay charges and/or make an arrest
Possible Outcomes After Police Attend
Depending on what officers see and hear, and on local law and policy, police may:
- Leave after checking that immediate safety concerns are addressed
- Help someone leave the home for the moment, if that is requested and safe
- Seize weapons or firearms where the law allows
- Lay criminal charges and arrest a person they believe committed an offence
- Issue or recommend certain conditions (for example, about contact or staying away), usually through the courts
Arrest, Holding, and Release: What This Can Look Like
If police decide to arrest someone, that person may be:
- Brought to a station for processing and held for a short time
- Released by police with conditions, depending on the situation and local rules
- Held for a bail hearing (also called a show‑cause hearing) before a justice or judge
The decision to release or hold a person is influenced by factors such as:
- The seriousness of the alleged offence
- Any history of violence, breaches, or criminal record
- Concerns about safety for the survivor, children, or the public
- Concerns about whether the person will come back to court
Release Conditions: What They Are
When a person is released after an arrest, there are often written conditions they must follow. These may come from police release documents, bail orders, probation orders, or other court decisions. Not all conditions are the same; they depend on the case and the region.
Common types of release conditions can include:
- Staying away from certain places (for example, a home, workplace, or school)
- Not contacting specific people, directly or indirectly
- Following a curfew or remaining in a particular area
- Not using alcohol or drugs, or not attending certain locations
- Attending court when required
- Living at a specific address
Breaching (breaking) these conditions can lead to new criminal charges for the accused. How breaches are handled depends on local police and Crown/prosecution practices.
No‑Contact and “Non‑Communication” Terms
No‑contact terms usually mean the other person must not communicate with you, or sometimes with your children or other family members. These are often called “no‑contact” or “non‑communication” orders or conditions. The exact wording matters.
What No‑Contact Terms Often Cover
Depending on the order or release document, no‑contact terms may include:
- No in‑person contact (no visits, no approaching within a certain distance)
- No phone calls, text messages, emails, or social media messages
- No indirect contact (for example, not asking friends or relatives to pass on messages)
- No contact except in specific circumstances allowed by the order (for example, through a lawyer, or for brief child‑related arrangements as written)
If You Are Unsure What Is Allowed
If you are not clear on what a no‑contact or release order means, you can:
- Ask the officer, victim services worker, or court staff to explain the wording in plain language
- Write down your understanding and the date you received the explanation
- Keep a copy of the order in a safe place where you can check the exact terms
These explanations are general information, not legal advice. For detailed legal guidance, a lawyer or legal clinic is usually required.
What Happens if No‑Contact Terms Are Ignored
If the other person contacts you in a way that seems to break a no‑contact or release condition, possible next steps may include:
- Deciding what feels safest for you in that moment (for example, not responding, leaving the situation if possible)
- Saving messages or recording details such as dates, times, and what happened
- Contacting police if you choose to report what is happening
Emergency Intervention Orders (EIOs) and Police
Some provinces and territories have special civil protection orders that can sometimes be obtained quickly in emergencies. In a few regions, these are called Emergency Intervention Orders (EIOs) or a similar name. The details differ widely across Canada.
Where they exist, EIOs may allow certain trained officials (for example, designated justice officials, victim services workers, or police) to help a survivor apply for an order that can:
- Require the other person to leave a shared home
- Give temporary possession of certain property (for example, the home or vehicle) to the survivor
- Limit contact or communication
- Address specific safety needs raised in the application
How EIOs and Criminal Conditions Can Overlap
Sometimes more than one type of order exists at the same time. For example:
- A criminal no‑contact bail condition may exist together with a civil protection order
- One order may allow limited contact for parenting, while another is stricter
- Different courts may set conditions at different times
When there is a conflict, the stricter condition is often treated as the one to follow, but this can be complex and situation‑dependent. Courts, lawyers, and police may each interpret overlapping orders differently.
Some people choose to:
- Keep copies of all orders together and note start and end dates on the front page
- Ask a duty counsel lawyer or legal clinic to explain how the orders interact
- Show police all orders if they are called, so officers see the full picture
Working With Police and Services Around Orders
You may interact with different services about police actions and orders, including:
- Police officers or detectives assigned to the file
- Victim services programs linked to police or Crown/prosecution offices
- Court‑based workers who explain court dates and conditions
- Community‑based advocates or shelters, who can help you understand safety options
Across Canada, some additional support options and information sources are listed at https://www.dv.support. These services are separate from this site and from police, and may help with understanding local processes.
Keeping Information and Documents Organized
Some people find it helpful to:
- Store copies of all orders, police occurrence numbers, and key dates in one folder
- Write a simple timeline of important events (police calls, court dates, new orders)
- Note the names or badge numbers of officers and any victim services contacts
- Keep digital copies in a secure location if that feels safer