Coastal Coalition Trauma-Informed Police Training for Law Enforcement

Trauma-Informed Police Training

Law enforcement professionals have a history of successfully enhancing public safety through the use of available science. The science of DNA testing and finger printing are two such examples. Among the Resolutions of the International Association of Chiefs of Police adopted in 2019 is a resolution encouraging all law enforcement agencies to become well informed about the science of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and numerous negative outcomes. By receiving training in Trauma Informed Policing, law enforcement agencies can increase empathetic approaches supported by ACEs science.

This free training provides best practices for law enforcement to use for reducing trauma on scene, especially when responding to calls where children are present. In this training, officers will learn the basics of trauma, how it impacts childhood brain development, the significance of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study, the universal prevalence of trauma, and strategies officers can use daily, as recommended by the International Association of Chiefs of Police in the Enhancing Law Enforcement Response to Children Exposed to Violence Toolkit. Participants will understand examples of officer-led trauma-informed policing programs, including Handle With Care. The training includes responses for officers prioritizing their own mental wellness by addressing the secondary trauma of being a first responder. Participants will receive a certificate of attendance and contact hours.

Date:

Tuesday, August 13, 2024

Time:

1pm-4:30pm

Location:

Eastern North Carolina Regional Skills Center: Burton Industrial Park

261 Northwest Corridor Boulevard, Jacksonville, NC 28540

Trainer:

Becky Haas - International Trauma-Informed Safety and Policing Expert

National Police Trainer Becky Haas has been training officers to understand the impact of trauma since 2017. Working for the Johnson City TN Police to reduce drug-related, violent crime and recidivism, she first learned about the prevalence of trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in the lives of those involved in the justice system in 2014.

After training the Oklahoma City Police Department in 2019 in Trauma Informed Policing to prepare officers for launching Handle With Care, she co-authored an article with Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gorley on why all officers should understand the science of trauma which was published in the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) magazine in 2021 (https://www.policechiefmagazine.org/increasing-empathy-through-trauma-informed-policing/). Last summer, she recorded a condensed version of this training for the National Virtual Academy.

For two years she has presented at the National School Resource Officer Conference a course she developed called, Decoding Student Behaviors and Strategies to Address Them, and as a result trained the Delaware State Police SROs in January to support the DE statewide Handle With Care program and will present to 1,500 Florida SROs in July. Prior to training officers about trauma, Becky was a Lead Child Passenger Safety Instructor in Tennessee.

This training opportunity is being offered by the Coastal Coalition for Substance Awareness & Prevention (CCSAP) through funding made possible by the Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program, award number 5 NH28CE003077-04-00, and in collaboration with the Jacksonville Police Department.

Host or Publisher CCSAP