legal

Domestic Violence & Police Response in Wisconsin

What survivors may expect when police respond to domestic violence calls in Wisconsin.

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LEGAL & POLICE

What Happens When Police Get Involved in Relationship Harm

What Police May Do at the Scene

When police arrive because of a safety concern at home or in a relationship, they usually:

Check for immediate safety risks and separate people if possible
Look for injuries and call medical help if needed
Ask basic questions about what happened and who lives there
Speak to each person separately when they can, including any witnesses
Look at the surroundings for signs of damage or disturbance
Ask about children, pets, and anyone else who may be affected

Police actions can vary by province, territory, and local policy. The steps listed here are general patterns, not guarantees of what will happen.

Police may also:

Take photos of injuries or damage, if appropriate
Ask if there have been past incidents or past police calls
Check if there are any current court orders (like no-contact or peace bonds)
Help connect you with local victim services or shelters in your area

Understanding Arrest vs. Making a Report

Making a Police Report

Making a report usually means sharing information with police about what has happened or is happening. This can include:

Calling 911 or a non-emergency number
Going to a police station
Speaking with an officer after someone else called

In many Canadian regions, once police receive information about possible relationship violence, they decide what happens next. This may or may not include an arrest.

In many places in Canada, officers are guided by “mandatory” or “pro-arrest” policies in intimate partner violence cases. This often means the decision to arrest is based on their assessment of the situation and the law, not on a person’s request.

What an Arrest Means

An arrest means the police believe they have legal grounds to detain someone because they may have committed a crime. If police arrest someone, they may:

Place the person in handcuffs and take them into custody
Search the person for safety reasons
Transport them to a police station for processing
Decide whether to release the person with conditions or hold them for a bail hearing

In many relationship harm situations, a person may be arrested even if the survivor does not want charges, if police believe an offence has likely occurred.

Overview of How Charging Works

In Canada, criminal charges are generally decided by police and, in many areas, reviewed or carried forward by Crown prosecutors (government lawyers). The main points are:

The person who reports harm is usually considered a witness, not the one “pressing charges.”
Police assess evidence such as statements, injuries, damage, and past history.
If they believe there are reasonable grounds, they may recommend or lay charges.
Crown prosecutors usually decide whether to continue, change, or withdraw charges, based on available evidence and public interest.

The survivor’s wishes may be considered, but they do not always control whether charges continue. This can feel confusing or stressful, especially if someone is worried about housing, immigration, or finances.

If charges are laid, next steps may include:

First court appearances (sometimes called “remand” dates)
Bail hearings where conditions like no-contact may be discussed
Possible victim services support throughout the court process

For more information about support options across Canada when the legal system is involved, you can explore resources listed at DV.Support.

No-Contact and Related Court Orders

What a No-Contact Order Is

A no-contact order is a direction, usually from a court, that a person must not communicate with or be near another person. In relationship harm situations, no-contact conditions can appear in:

Release conditions after an arrest (for example, bail or undertaking)
Probation orders after a conviction
Other types of protection or peace orders, which vary by province and territory

No-contact orders can limit:

In-person contact (for example, not coming to a home, workplace, or school)
Phone calls, texts, emails, and social media messages
Contact through other people, except for limited purposes such as legal issues or child arrangements, if allowed

The exact name and details of these orders differ across Canada (for example, peace bonds, emergency protection orders, or other terms). Local legal clinics, victim services, or community organizations may explain what is available in your area.

How No-Contact Conditions Are Enforced

If a no-contact order or condition is in place and someone ignores it, this can be a separate criminal offence in many situations. Police response can depend on:

What the order says in detail
How the contact happened (in person, online, through others)
Local enforcement practices

Keeping copies or photos of any orders and noting any breaches can sometimes help if you decide to report concerns to police or to a support service.

Consider digital safety when keeping copies of orders or messages, especially if the other person still has access to your phone, email, or shared accounts. More guidance is available in digital safety resources and from local services.

Contact for Child and Practical Matters

Sometimes orders allow limited, specific contact, such as:

Through a third party or supervised exchange for children
Through lawyers only
For brief, practical reasons set out in the order

When reading any order, the details and exceptions are important. If anything is unclear, community legal clinics or duty counsel at the courthouse can often explain wording in plain language, without creating a lawyer–client relationship.