If you have good reason to believe your partner might hurt you or your loved ones, or damage your property, you can apply for a peace bond. It's free, there's no need for a lawyer, and the Edmonton Police Service will do all the paperwork. Once you have a peace bond, if your partner breaches it, he will be criminally responsible. Some other things to know about these:

• In real emergencies, it's possible to get a peace bond in about 2 to 3 weeks
• To start, you need to go to your local police station to prepare a form saying how your partner has hurt you or your loved ones
• The police will then investigate what you've told them
• You'll then need to go to the courthouse to swear to a justice of the peace that your form tells the truth. You may be asked to explain more as well.
• The police will tell you when your partner's court hearing is. You may be required to attend court again later, and if so, the police will tell you
• If a peace bond is issued, you should keep a copy with you to show the police
• A peace bond remains in effect for one year