Work of the Domestic Abuse Unit
This morning PC SCARLE from the Southern domestic abuse unit and PC SMITH from the Northern domestic abuse unit have attended Coventry and Warwickshire Magistrates court in order to apply for 2 domestic violence protection orders (DVPO)
A DVPO is an emergency civil order which can last for up to 28 days and contains conditions which are similar to a non-molestation order. The order is designed to “bridge the gap” by providing protection and safeguarding to the victim in the immediate aftermath of a domestic violence incident where there may not be enough evidence to charge a perpetrator or to adequately protect the victim through bail conditions. This order gives a victim space and time to engage with support services in order to get longer term support or orders in place.
The first stage of this process is to serve the perpetrator with a Domestic violence protection notice (DVPN) which has to be authorised by a senior police officer of at least superintendent rank. This notice will inform the perpetrator that the police will be attending a court within 48 hours to apply for a DVPO.
A police officer or person appointed on behalf of the Police will then attend court and apply for this order by presenting all of the relevant evidence to the court.
Both orders applied for were authorised in court today and will last for the maximum 28 days.
There are times where there is unfortunately insufficient evidence to proceed with a criminal investigations but this does not mean we can’t help to protect people from harm.
We want our victims to know that Warwickshire police will take your reports seriously and that we will always seek to keep you safe and safeguard you through all of the different methods that are available to us.
