{"id":46061,"date":"2013-04-12T13:11:52","date_gmt":"2013-04-12T17:11:52","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2025-06-16T15:34:36","modified_gmt":"2025-06-16T19:34:36","slug":"what-if-the-police-do-not-charge-my-partner","status":"publish","type":"publications-page","link":"https:\/\/www.cleo.on.ca\/en\/publications-page\/what-if-the-police-do-not-charge-my-partner","title":{"rendered":"What if the police do not charge my partner?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If the police do not charge your partner with a crime, you can ask them why. It is helpful to write down the officers’ names and badge numbers.<\/p>\n

You can ask to speak to the officer in charge of the police station or the domestic violence co-ordinator if there is one at that station.<\/p>\n

If you are not satisfied with the police response, you can make a complaint to the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency (LECA). LECA decides if a police officer did not do their job properly. LECA cannot change the police officer’s decision not to charge your partner. You can call LECA toll-free at 1-877-411-4773<\/strong> or go to leca.ca<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You should get advice from a criminal lawyer before you make a complaint. See General legal services<\/a>. They can help you to understand LECA’s process. They can also help you to think about other ways to deal with your concerns.<\/p>\n

Bringing a charge on your own<\/h2>\n

If the police do not charge your partner, you can apply to the court to have them charged with a crime.<\/p>\n

Starting your own criminal charge is also known as a “private prosecution”. This can take a long time and does not always result in your partner being charged.<\/p>\n

For more information, read “What is a private prosecution and how do I apply for one?<\/a>“.<\/p>\n

CLEO\u2019s Guided Pathway for applying for a private prosecution<\/a> can help you apply for a private prosecution for certain types of crimes.<\/p>\n

Court-ordered protection<\/h2>\n

Your partner might become violent when they find out you started a private prosecution. If you are concerned about your safety or your children’s safety, you can apply for a peace bond in criminal court. Or you might be able to apply for a restraining order in family court.<\/p>\n

Part 6<\/a> has more information about the types of court orders that can keep you safe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-46061","publications-page","type-publications-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat if the police do not charge my partner? - CLEO (Community Legal Education Ontario \/ \u00c9ducation juridique communautaire Ontario)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cleo.on.ca\/en\/publications-page\/what-if-the-police-do-not-charge-my-partner\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What if the police do not charge my partner? - CLEO (Community Legal Education Ontario \/ \u00c9ducation juridique communautaire Ontario)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If the police do not charge your partner with a crime, you can ask them why. 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