Law enforcement in Minnesota now can see restraining orders
Restraining orders filed with the courts will be visible to law enforcement officers starting Thursday. Advocates say the change will help keep victims of harassment and sexual violence safer.
Many victims of sexual violence don’t qualify for the more substantial order for protection, which requires that the victim had a “significant relationship” with the perpetrator, said Nicole Weiler, director of system change the Sexual Violence Center in Minneapolis.
“You had to physically carry that court order on your person and show it to an officer or they would not know that you've already gone through that process,” Weiler said. “Up until today, [they] really had been considered sort of the lesser of protective orders because they weren't visible in law enforcement information systems.”
Police officers were already able to view the records of people who had filed orders for protection, just not restraining orders. The change means officers will be able to see restraining orders from court records in the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s database.
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The change could also help officers better gauge situations before arriving on emergency calls, Weiler said.
“Officers would want to know that they might be walking into a more serious situation than what was known from the 911 call,” Weiler said.
Advocates at programs like the Sexual Violence Center can help victims of harassment or violence fill out forms like restraining orders, as well as offering other assistance.
Restrainers orders that are already in place will be entered into the system sometime between January and July.