Building a Trauma Informed System of Care Toolkit

Building a Trauma Informed System of Care Aim High to Reach All

Law Enforcement Training

The development of “Trauma Informed Policing” training was unique to the Johnson City system of care. At the time the system of care was created, Becky Haas was employed by the Johnson City Police Department and saw an opportunity reduce trauma for children on scene in justice-involved situations by training law enforcement professionals. This led to the creation of “Trauma Informed Policing” training which gained certification from the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST) and qualifies for three hours of officer in-service credit in Tennessee. Communities often leave law enforcement professionals out of the conversation about trauma informed care. However, due to the nature of police work, officers are the professionals most often involved responding to 911 calls where trauma has occurred, therefore they must be included. One way to begin the conversation with law enforcement is around the program started by the West Virginia Center for Children’s Justice, Handle With Care. This program is a simple partnership between law enforcement and local schools that has little or no cost to either organization. If a law enforcement officer encounters a child during a 911 call that could be potentially traumatic to the child, the officer alerts a designated person at the school prior to school the next day with the simple words, “[Child’s name], handle with care.” Handle With Care can alert officers to the exis tence of trauma, paving the way for more intensive train ing, such as “Trauma Informed Policing” training. In this training, officers are taught how they can become an intervention reducing trauma for children when they are on scene in justice involved situations and how behaviors they see in both children and adults may be a response to past trauma.

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