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This website discusses domestic and family violence and coercive control.
Call Triple Zero (000) and ask for Police if you are in a dangerous or life-threatening situation.
If you don't want to speak to the police you can also call DV Connect on 1800 811 811 or 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
Find other support options
Contacting the police
If you, or someone you know is in immediate danger, call Triple Zero (000) and ask to speak to the Police.
If you are not in immediate danger, you can report domestic and family violence (DFV) to the police by:
- calling Policelink on 131 444 (available 24 hours a day, seven days a week)
- submitting an online request form
- attending any police station in person
- registering to use SMS messaging if you are deaf, hearing-impaired, or vulnerable.
What happens when I report domestic and family violence to the police?
The police must investigate if they reasonably suspect DFV is occurring or has occurred before they arrive.
To make sure everyone is safe from further harm and to give or arrange support to anyone affected by DFV, police can enter a place, search the premises, and make reasonable enquiries without a search warrant.
When investigating a report of DFV, police will conduct a holistic, victim-centric and trauma-informed investigation, which means speaking with all parties involved to determine what has occurred. They may ask for the name and address of any person, including witnesses, involved in the DFV incident, and this may involve speaking with children.
To identify the person most in need of protection, police will consider the behaviour of each person in the context of the relationship as a whole and will make inquiries about the relationship between the parties involved and any known history of DFV.
How police can investigate DFV
Police responsibilities
DFV in Queensland is governed by the Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act 2012 (the Act). The Police are bound by the Act when investigating reports of DFV.
The Act outlines how police must investigate DFV, and the steps they can take to ensure the safety of the person most in need of protection and any children (where applicable).
This may include applying for a protection order, issuing an on-the-spot Police Protection Direction (PPD) or a Police Protection Notice (PPN) to the person using violence, or taking the person using violence into custody for up to 8 hours (police must apply for a protection order during this time).
If police make a PPN or apply for a domestic violence order (DVO), the matter will be considered by the court. The court may make a temporary protection order or a ‘final’ protection order.
A temporary protection order provides urgent protection until the date a magistrate can decide on the application for a final protection order. Most protection orders last for 5 years, but a Magistrate may decide to make a shorter protection order if they consider it would be appropriate.
Applying for a DVO does not stop police from commencing proceedings for a criminal offence against a person using violence.
If you call the police to report an incident of DFV, the safety of all parties involved will be their main priority.
Refer to Section 100 of the Act for a full description of what steps the police can take when investigating DFV. Find more information about response options available to police when responding to DFV.
Entering a premise without a search warrant
Under the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000 (PPRA), police can enter a premise without a search warrant if they reasonably suspect DFV is occurring or has occurred before they arrive.
Refer to Section 609 of the PPRA to further understand the powers police have in regards to entry, search, detention, arrest, and seizure under the Act.