Police Protocols
last updated August 2013
 
The details of law enforcement protocols and policies vary across all jurisdictions, but are generally developed with the universal goals of promoting victim safety and holding offenders accountable. The following are examples of some of the protocols developed for state and county use in the United States. Several are the result of grants from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women (OVW). For additional information on the role of police, see Law Enforcement, Prosecutions and the Judiciary.
Illinois: Domestic Violence Protocol for Law Enforcement and Prosecution (2013),developed by the Illinois Family violence Coordinating Councils through an OVW grant.[1]
New Hampshire: A Model Protocol for Law Enforcement Response to Domestic Violence Cases(2013), developed by the Governor’s Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence.[2]
South Dakota: Law Enforcement Response to Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (2012), developed by the South Dakota Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and the South Dakota Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault through an OVW grant.[3] 
New Jersey: Police resources for handling domestic violence, made available through the Office of the Attorney General, include a domestic violence checklist, training for police on handling a call, completing a complaint and application for a restraining order, enforcement of a restraining order, and interviewing techniques.[4]
New York: The Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence provides on its website an overview of what law enforcement professionals need to consider in effectively responding to cases of domestic violence.[5] 
West Virginia: West Virginia Domestic Violence Response Guide for Law Enforcement Officers(3d ed., 2011), adapted from the West Virginia Legislative Rule on law enforcement response to domestic violence with the support of an OVW grant.[6]
Massachusetts: Domestic Violence Law Enforcement Guidelines(2009), adopted by the Massachusetts District Attorney’s Associaiton and the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police.[7]
Santa Clara County, California:  Domestic Violence Protocol for Law Enforcement (2011).[8]
San Mateo County, California: Domestic violence Protocol for Law Enforcement (2011), adopted by San Mateo Country Law Enforcement Agencies.[9]
See the recommendation on police action in domestic violence cases in the UN Handbook for Legislation on Violence against Women (2010).
Other law enforcement policies, protocols and best practices are available through the Institute for Law and Justice.
 

[1] “OVW Arrest Grant: Domestic Violence Protocol for Law Enforcement and Prosecution,” Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Councils, http://www.ifvcc.org/ovw/.
[2] Office of the Attorney General (N.H.), A Model Protocol for Law Enforcement Response to Domestic Violence Cases (3d ed., 2013), accessed August 12, 2013, http://doj.nh.gov/criminal/victim-assistance/documents/law-enforcement-protocol.pdf.
[3] S.D. Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault & S.D. Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault, Law Enforcement Response to Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (2012), accessed August 9, 2013, http://dss.sd.gov/victimservices/cvc/2012CVCHandbook.pdf.
[4] “Police Resources: Domestic Violence,” Office of the Attorney General, accessed August 9, 2013, http://www.njpdresources.org/dom_violence.htm.
[5] “Criminal Justice,” Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, New York, accessed August 9, 2013, http://opdv.ny.gov/professionals/criminal_justice/index.html.
[6] W.V. Coalition Against Domestic Violence et al., West Virginia Domestic Vioelnce Response Guide for Law Enforcement Officers (3d ed., 2011), accessed August 9, 2013, http://www.djcs.wv.gov/Specialized%20Programs/gtea/Documents/Domestic%20Violence%20Response%20Guide%202.pdf.
[7] Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, Domestic Violence Law Enforcement Guidelines (2009), accessed August 9, 2013, http://www.mass.gov/eopss/docs/programs/fjj/vawa/dv-guidelines-2009.pdf.
[8] Police Chiefs’ Association of Santa Clara County, Domestic Violence Protocol for Law Enforcement (2011), accessed August 9, 2013, http://www.sccgov.org/sites/owp/Domestic%20Violence%20Council/Protocols/Documents/2011CorrectedDVProtocolLE.pdf.
[9] County of San Mateo, Domestic Violence Protocol for Law Enforcement (2011), accessed August 9, 2013, http://www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/Attachments/districtattorney/pdfs/SMCO-DV-Protocol-2011-3.pdf.