Domestic Violence & Police Response in Washington
What survivors may expect when Washington police respond to DV incidents.
Police Response, Arrests, and No-Contact Orders
What Police May Do at the Scene
When police respond to a relationship-violence call in Canada, their first focus is usually immediate safety and basic information-gathering. What actually happens can vary by province or territory and by the situation.
- Check for injuries and call medical help if needed.
- Separate people to hear what happened from each person.
- Look for children, older adults, or others who may also be at risk.
- Look around for visible signs of damage or disturbance.
- Ask about weapons and, in some cases, remove or secure them.
- Ask whether there have been past incidents or police calls.
- Decide whether there are grounds to lay criminal charges.
Police decisions are guided by both the Criminal Code of Canada and local policies. Outcomes can be different even when situations seem similar.
Arrest vs Making a Police Report
Making a Police Report
Making a report means giving police information about what happened. This can be done in different ways, such as by phone, in person at a station, or sometimes online. A report can:
- Document what happened, even if no arrest is made right away.
- Help build a history of incidents over time.
- Lead to an investigation and possible charges later.
In many places, once information is reported, the decision to lay criminal charges is made by police and/or Crown prosecutors, not by the person who reported.
When Police May Arrest
An arrest is when police take someone into custody because they believe a crime has been committed. In relationship-violence situations, police may arrest if they believe there are reasonable grounds that an offence has occurred or that someone is not following a court order.
- An arrest may happen at the scene or later, after an investigation.
- Police may arrest even if the person who called does not want charges.
- The arrested person may be held for a bail hearing or released with conditions.
Choosing to contact police does not guarantee that an arrest will or will not happen. The decision rests with justice-system officials.
Understanding No-Contact and Related Orders
No-contact rules can come from different sources and can use different language depending on the province or territory. They generally aim to limit or prevent contact for safety reasons.
Common Types of No-Contact Conditions
- Police or bail conditions: If someone is charged, they may be released on conditions such as not contacting or going near a person or place.
- Criminal court orders after conviction: A sentencing order can include no-contact or non-communication terms.
- Peace-bond–type orders: In some situations, a peace bond or similar order may include no-contact rules, even if there is no conviction.
What No-Contact Usually Means
No-contact can include different forms of communication or presence, for example:
- No in-person contact, including at home, work, or in public places.
- No phone calls, texts, emails, or messages through apps or social media.
- No indirect contact through friends, relatives, or others, unless a court clearly allows it for specific reasons (for example, some parenting communication channels).
Only the court can change a court order. If a no-contact order feels unworkable or unsafe in practice, legal information services or duty counsel may explain options for asking a court to review conditions.
How No-Contact Orders Interact with DVPOs
Some provinces and territories have civil protection orders specific to family or intimate-partner violence (often called domestic violence protection orders or emergency protection orders). These are separate from criminal charges but may operate at the same time.
Parallel Orders
- Someone might be under both criminal no-contact conditions and a civil DVPO or similar order at the same time.
- Each order can have its own rules about contact, distance, and communication.
- Police may enforce breaches of criminal conditions and, in many regions, can also act if a DVPO is not followed.
If Orders Do Not Match
Sometimes a DVPO might allow certain limited contact (for example, to arrange child visits), while a criminal order says “no contact at all,” or the other way around. Conflicts like this can be confusing.
- Police usually look at the criminal order first when deciding how to respond to a situation.
- Having copies or clear photos of all active orders can help when speaking with police or duty counsel.
- Legal information clinics or duty counsel can often explain how different orders interact in your province or territory.
If conditions or orders seem to conflict, it can be helpful to carry written details and, when it is safe, ask a legal information service to review them with you. This is information support, not a guarantee of what a court or police will do.
Safety and Documentation Around Orders
For some people, having written conditions can support safety planning. For others, it may increase tension or risk. Each situation is different.
- Keeping a copy or photo of all current orders in a safe place can help if police ask to see them.
- Noting dates, times, and details of any contact that might breach an order may assist if you choose to speak with police later.
- Support workers, including those listed through resources at DV.Support, may help explain typical processes without giving legal advice.
When thinking about reporting a breach or changing an order, consider your safety in the short term and the longer term. It is okay to seek information before deciding what to do.