Police Department

Domestic Violence Unit

The Spokane Police Department Domestic Violence Unit has taken a proactive and offender-based approach to reducing, preventing and holding DV offenders accountable. SPD investigates cases of domestic violence with particular emphasis on Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) crime. Members of the team contact suspects in jail and provide them with a deterrent letter, reach out to victims to offer them access to additional resources, and conduct routine victim home checks to ensure their safety and suspect compliance with orders of protection. All cases from misdemeanor to the most serious felony level offenses are evaluated and reviewed to ensure the investigation is thorough. Completed cases are forwarded to the prosecutor's office for charging. Law enforcement works collaboratively with the prosecutor's office, probation, Department of Corrections, and victim advocates to accomplish the following goals: 1) Protect the most vulnerable victims from the most dangerous abusers, 2) Focused deterrence, enforcement, and prosecution of the most dangerous abusers, 3) Avoid putting victims at additional risk, and 4) Reduce the recidivism of IPV offenders and lower the overall calls for service for domestic violence.

Spokane Regional Domestic Violence Team

Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Phone Number: 509.477.3656
YWCA Crisis Line: 509.326.2255 (CALL)
Location: Family Justice Center, 930 North Monroe Street, Spokane, WA 99201

The shared goal of the Spokane Regional Domestic Violence Team (SRDVT) is to hold Domestic Violence offenders accountable, promote victim safety and reduce incidents of Domestic Violence (DV) in Spokane.

The SRDVT is comprised of law enforcement officers, legal advocates, and prosecuting attorneys, who work together as a team to address domestic violence issues through a multi-faceted approach.

SRDVT partner agencies include: the Spokane Police Department, the Spokane County Sheriff's Office, YWCA advocates, and the Spokane County Prosecutor's Office.

• Law enforcement: investigate cases of Domestic Violence, arrest offenders and forward cases to the Prosecutor's Office for charging.
• Legal Advocates: provide a variety of support services when dealing with a civil or criminal court case. If you need formal, legal protection from partner abuse, advocates can help you apply for a Civil Order for Protection to prevent your partner from directly or indirectly contacting, harassing, stalking or abusing you in any way. If your partner has been charged with a domestic violence offense, you may need support through the court process. Our legal advocates can access information about your partner's case, a pending release, bail conditions, the specifications on no-contact orders and other court-related matters.
• Prosecutors: prosecute cases of domestic violence to hold offenders accountable and to work with the courts, law enforcement, and advocates to assist the victims and families affected by domestic violence.

Protection Orders

What is an Order for Protection?

An order for Protection is a civil order that, when violated, allows police to arrest the person who has been physically controlling, violent, or threatening to attack you.

*Note: not all violations will result in an arrest. You are responsible for reporting violations.

An Order for Protection CAN:

• Tell abuser (respondent) to stop acts of domestic violence.
• Keep abuser away
• Stop abuser from bothering you (on the street, by mail, by telephone, at school, at work, Facebook, email and text messages)
• Provide access to your car, home, pet and property needed for your health and welfare.

An Order for Protection CANNOT:

• Order Child support
• Order maintenance income (alimony)
• Establish permanent child custody or permanent use of family home
• Provide a guarantee of safety

Protection Order Process

Temporary Order for Protection

You will fill out the forms and petition for a Temporary Order for Protection. You will be asked to tell about the most recent act and/or threat of violence and history of domestic violence.

It is helpful to know the abuser's address and birthdate. A judge or commissioner will review your paperwork, may ask you some questions, and decide whether to grant or deny the Temporary Order for Protection.

Your next hearing will be held in about two weeks at which time the court will grant or deny a longer Order for Protection. During these two weeks, the abuser needs to be served with both the Petition and the Temporary Order with 5 court days of notice of the date set for the hearing.

Full Order for Protection

At this hearing, the court will decide whether to grant or deny a full Order for Protection. It is important to come to this hearing even if the abuser has not been served. The court will ask you and the abuser to talk about the abuse and/or threats described in the petition.

Changes

It is the abuser's responsibility to obey the order. You cannot drop the order without seeing a judge. Only the court can drop or change the order. If you want to drop or change the order, you must go to court.

If you are in need of a protection order from your spouse, significant other, or other domestic partner, you will need to complete this paperwork to start the process.

Where to File

When to File in Superior Court:

County clerk's office, Room 300, County Courthouse, 1116 W. Broadway

• The partied have minor children in common (together)
• You are requesting the abuser be removed from a shared residence
• There is/will be a divorce.

When to File in District Court:

Public Safety Building: Paper work window 6-8, file on second floor. 1100 West Mallon Avenue

• There are no minor children in common (together) and/or you do not reside with the respondent

An advocate is available to assist victims of domestic violence with the protection order process. They are located in the YWCA 930 N Monroe 477-3656.

Orders for Protection are free.

If you are ordered to surrender weapons as a condition of your protection order, you can view a short video on the process.