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ACT Policing officers served more than 300 court documents, including protection orders, summonses and witness subpoena’s, during recent days of action. This included more than 100 protection orders, which ensure people subject to court ordered conditions are aware of and abide by those conditions which prohibit certain behaviours/conduct after service and during the period of the order.
During the four days of action from last Saturday to Tuesday (1-4 March 2025) multiple officers and staff from General Duties, Domestic and Family Violence Investigations Unit, Criminal Investigations, Proactive Intervention and Diversion Team, Intel and Road Policing worked with the Judicial Operations Service and Process Team to coordinate the serving of:
- 67 personal protection orders
- 43 family violence orders
- Four workplace protection orders
- 130 subpoenas
- 58 summons
After successful days of action executed in December last year (2024) ACT Policing continues to experience a significant increase in Family Violence Orders and other court service documents. In addition to the recent days of action, the Service and Process Team served more than 400 documents, including more than 150 protection orders and made more than 900 attempts at service during February (2025).
A protection order is an order of the court setting conditions that a person must abide by. These conditions can prevent the person from contacting or approaching, causing or threatening to cause personal injury, and prohibits them from being harassing, intimidating or behaving in an offensive manner towards another person.
Orders can also exclude a person from a home or workplace or ensure property is returned. In urgent situations, an interim (temporary) family violence order may be granted by a Magistrate on the same day the application is lodged.
In the ACT, all court orders must be served by police, and they must be served in-person.
During the operation, officers made 330 attempts to serve court documents. The efforts to serve court documents and orders by ACT Policing are substantial, with most needing multiple attempts to locate the respondent over varying lengths of time. In some cases, orders and other documents may be served quickly at the first attempt and in other cases, a dozen or more attempts are required.
If a respondent is actively avoiding police and the service of documents, ACT Policing does not have any additional powers or other lawful means to serve the order.
ACT Policing stands ready to assist victims experiencing family violence. If you are in this situation - when it is safe to do so - please contact police on 131 444 or Triple Zero (000) in an emergency, or contact a support service who can assist with crisis support, safety planning and advice.