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LAPD officers slapped Britney Spears with a temporary restraining order last Thursday night during her custody standoff, PEOPLE has learned exclusively.

Called an "emergency protective order," it is enforced for five business days. Officers did it to "stabilize the situation," confirmed Kevin Federline's attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan.

Kaplan, who did not request the restraining order, declined to say whether he would seek to extend it.

"The person it's placed upon would have to stay approximately 100 feet from the other person, or face arrest," says LAPD spokesman Mike Lopez, who could not confirm the restraining order on Spears. "In most cases, it's issued by officers when there's the possibility of imminent and immediate danger to the victim."

Added Kaplan: "Kevin doesn't want to keep his kids from being involved in [Spears's] life. But foremost is that the kids be in an environment of structure [and] stability. The next goal is to get things to a point where both parents are able to participate fully in their [children's] lives."

On Jan. 4, Spears, 26, was stripped of all visitation rights with sons Preston, 2, and Jayden, 1, pending the ex-couple's next custody hearing on Jan. 14.