New domestic abuse protection notices and orders pilot
We've produced guidance for policing on Domestic Abuse Protection Notices (DAPNs) and Orders (DAPOs) which are undergoing a year-long pilot in three forces:
- Greater Manchester Police
- Metropolitan Police Service (boroughs of Bromley, Croydon, and Sutton)
- British Transport Police
The new DAPNs and DAPOs are legal tools designed to provide immediate and long-term protection for victims of domestic abuse, including physical abuse, psychological abuse, financial abuse, controlling and coercive behaviour.
They offer a quick and effective way for police to intervene in situations where there is a risk of harm. They also help to prevent further incidents, even when there is not enough evidence for a criminal charge.
DAPNs
A DAPN is issued by the police following domestic abuse incidents. It places conditions on the perpetrator, such as:
- staying away from the victim for a period of time
- leaving the victim's home for a specified period
- stopping all contact with the victim
DAPOs
A DAPO is a court order that can impose more extensive conditions on the perpetrator, including:
- banning the perpetrator from entering a specific address or area
- requiring the perpetrator to attend an appropriate rehabilitation programme
- putting restrictions on the perpetrator's contact with the victim
If the police believe a DAPO is necessary to provide ongoing protection, they can apply to the court for one.
How DAPNs and DAPOs work
During the trial, only officers in the pilot forces will be able to apply for a DAPN or DAPO but they will be enforceable anywhere in England and Wales. For example, if the recipient of a DAPO breaches a condition not to contact the victim while they are in a different part of the country, they may be arrested by the local force, even if not a pilot force.
The new legal tools being piloted by the Home Office will help the police to protect victims and break the cycle of domestic abuse. More wide-ranging than Domestic Violence Protection Orders, Domestic Abuse Protection Notices and Orders offer an effective way of protecting victims and can provide a series of robust conditions that perpetrators must follow, or face the prospect of arrest."
Assistant Chief Constable Tom Harding, Director of Operational Standards at the College of Policing
Intended outcomes
If successful, DAPNs and DAPOs will replace Domestic Violence Protection Orders, and become the go-to protective order for domestic abuse cases. This will give police a tool that is more effective and provides longer-term protection to victims of domestic abuse and their children.