Yeah, we po' dumb coppers don't know nothin' ... But, then, this is not an area they are trained in so I wouldn't expect an officer to give much advice on this. But to answer your question, yes, the civil process CAN be seen as violation of a protective order. Whether it will in your case may very well depend upon the cause of the lawsuit and how you handle it.

My suggestion would be to allow your attorney to make that determination. At least that way you'd have a defense if you were accused of violating the order as you were proceeding on the advice of counsel. Beware, if your suit is seen as being without merit or you seek to use it to bring yourself into contact with the protected party in any way outside of court, you could find ourself in hot water - I have seen it happen.