The Indiana Supreme Court partnered with the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute and State Police to receive two federal grants to create and implement the statewide Protection Order Registry (POR) which makes judicial orders available to local, state and national law enforcement agencies within minutes, all at no cost to counties.

In 2005, more than 83 Hoosiers died as the result of domestic violence and more than 9,000 adults and children went to an emergency shelter because it was not safe to stay at home. Protection Orders are a significant tool to help protect victims of domestic violence and their families, but court orders are ineffective unless the information reaches local and state law enforcement officers who need to enforce them.

The Indiana Protection Order Registry links Indiana courts issuing Protection and No-Contact Orders to the State Police’s Indiana Data and Communication System (IDACS) and the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Because orders are entered and available immediately it:

• Accelerates information-sharing by providing complete records in a timely fashion
• Ensures data accuracy and consistency
• Enhances state and national databanks
• Increases protection across state lines as well as within Indiana
• Reduces administrative work by local officers who currently re-type order into IDACS

Addressing domestic violence is a complex issue, and this Protection Order Registry will significantly assist those at-risk. Furthermore, the partnership between the Executive and Judicial branches of Indiana government demonstrates that state leaders are committed to protecting victims.

Learn more about the Protection Order Registry Project