A. A peace officer shall not discourage a victim of domestic abuse from pressing charges against the assailant of the victim.

B. 1. A peace officer may arrest without a warrant a person anywhere, including a place of residence, if the peace officer has probable cause to believe the person within the preceding seventy-two (72) hours has committed an act of domestic abuse as defined by Section 60.1 of this title, although the assault did not take place in the presence of the peace officer. A peace officer may not arrest a person pursuant to this section without first observing a recent physical injury to, or an impairment of the physical condition of, the alleged victim.

2. An arrest, when made pursuant to this section, shall be based on an investigation by the peace officer of the circumstances surrounding the incident, past history of violence between the parties, statements of any children present in the residence, and any other relevant factors. A determination by the peace officer shall be made pursuant to the investigation as to which party is the dominant aggressor in the situation. A peace officer may arrest the dominant aggressor.

C. When the court is not open for business, the victim of domestic abuse may request a petition for an emergency temporary order of protection. The peace officer making the preliminary investigation shall:

1. Provide the victim with a petition for an emergency temporary order of protection and, if necessary, assist the victim in completing the petition form. The petition shall be in substantially the same form as provided by Section 60.2 of this title for a petition for protective order;

2. Immediately notify, by telephone or otherwise, a judge of the district court of the request for an emergency temporary order of protection and describe the circumstances. The judge shall inform the peace officer of the decision to approve or disapprove the emergency temporary order;

3. Inform the victim whether the judge has approved or disapproved the emergency temporary order. If an emergency temporary order has been approved, the officer shall provide the victim, or a responsible adult if the victim is a minor child or an incompetent person, with a copy of the petition and a written statement signed by the officer attesting that the judge has approved the emergency temporary order of protection and notify the victim that the emergency temporary order shall be effective only until the close of business on the next day that the court is open for business;

4. Notify the person subject to the emergency temporary protection order of the issuance and conditions of the order. Notification pursuant to this paragraph may be made personally by the officer or in writing. A copy of the petition and the statement of the officer attesting to the order of the judge shall be made available to such person; and

5. File a copy of the petition and the statement of the officer with the district court of the county immediately upon the opening of the court on the next day the court is open for business.

D. The forms utilized by law enforcement agencies in carrying out the provisions of this section may be substantially similar to those used under Section 60.2 of this title.

Added by Laws 2002, c. 466, § 6, emerg. eff. June 5, 2002. Amended by Laws 2004, c. 516, § 3, eff. July 1, 2005.

NOTE: Editorially renumbered from § 60.14 of Title 22 to avoid a duplication in numbering.