Enhancing Law Enforcement Response to Children Exposed to Violence

A guest Post by LMCIT Public Safety Specialist Tracy Stille

Police officers are frequently the first responders to situations that pose threats to the safety and well-being of children. Whether it’s a call about domestic violence, sexual assault, harassment, or homicide, the police are in an important position to identify and initiate the process of recovery for children and families traumatized by violence. 

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the Yale Child Study Center have compiled resources and tools necessary to equip and train law enforcement agencies across the nation to identify and respond to these violent events, including death notifications. 

Police officers need to understand and recognize the acute signs of traumatic distress often associated with events that require intervention, as well learn the various law enforcement strategies that allow children and families to heal, recover, and re-establish a sense of security and stability. 

When children are not quickly identified and supported in recovery following exposure to violence, they are at greater risk for a number of factors including school failure, mental health and substance abuse disorders, involvement with the juvenile and criminal justice systems, and perpetration of community violence —  along with a number of other risk factors.

A Toolkit for Law Enforcement

The IACP and Yale have launched a toolkit (linked below) for law enforcement leaders and frontline officers that provides practical tools and resources to assist law enforcement agencies in building or enhancing effective operational responses to children exposed to violence. The toolkit includes an organizational self-assessment and action-planning tool, along with recommended operational protocols and tools to integrate into an agency’s existing practices and approaches. 

Enhancing Law Enforcement Response to Children Exposed to Violence: A Toolkit for Law Enforcement

Free Online Training

The New Haven Connecticut Department of Police Service has been instrumental in the development of some online training in this area. They lent their professional expertise to ensuring that case scenarios were realistic and consistent with law enforcement practices, and that they represent a range of possible differences in police attitudes and level of engagement. 

The IACP, in partnership with the Childhood Violent Trauma Center at the Yale Child Study Center, and the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, has launched this online training series to help prepare frontline officers to identify and respond to children exposed to violence. 

The online training series will enable officers to identify and interact with children of all ages who have been exposed to violent and potentially traumatic events using both developmentally appropriate and trauma-informed approaches. 

This five-module interactive course combines a number of learning styles and incorporates scenarios for participants to test new knowledge and practice new skills. This course has been certified by IADLEST as part of the National Certification Program for continuing education credits in more than 35 states and has been submitted to the MN Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) for consideration of approval.

I recently completed this training, and the course is offered at no cost to law enforcement and their multidisciplinary partners. It may also be beneficial for mental health practitioners and co-responders working with law enforcement.

Register here: http://elearning-courses.net/iacp/html/index.cfm

You may contact me via email at tstille@lmc.org with any questions or give me a phone call at (651) 215-4051.

Remember:  Responder Safety = Public Safety

Up next: Rob's Retirement

In the meantime, stay safe and be careful -
Tracy

Winter Driving Tips

A guest post by Bob Swenson, Director of Advance Driving Skills at the Minnesota Highway Safety and Research Center

Greetings from the desk of a retired police officer of 28 years. I also taught for the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center for nine years and am currently the Director of Advance Driving Skills at the Minnesota Highway Safety and Research Center. 

I’d like to share some all-year — and especially winter — driving tips.

First lesson: no one is exempt from the laws of physics. 

I could tell you stories of personal experience and what I’ve witnessed. If you’ve been in a squad car for a couple winters, you’ve seen what a lack of attention — or failing to slow down for the conditions — can lead to. 

Guest author Bob Swenson

In late October we saw 7 inches of snow at Hazel Lake (north of Staples), an early taste of winter. Already I have driven through fresh slushy snow to get to the well-maintained county road. I did some “research” with the traction control, electronic stability control, and anti-lock braking system. I was reacquainted with winter driving conditions.

Things to remember in your 360-degree environment:

1. Drive smart — never ignore road and weather conditions. Your number one priority is to get from point A to point B without crashing or leaving the roadway. Speed kills.
2. Keep your vision up and scan out every 12-15 seconds to spot changing conditions. Traffic, road, and weather conditions can change quickly. Reduced lighting changes your perspective. Always be looking for a safe escape path. Play the “what if” game. 
3. Do not forget to turn your head. Scan intersections early and often.
4. Leave room around you to maneuver. At least 3 seconds of following distance is needed on a good day. More following distance is needed for poor weather, heavier traffic, and low light.
5. Friction is finite. Keep friction, keep control. Slow down early. Speed up slowly.
6. Modern technology is an assistant, not to be relied on to make up for you being in a hurry.
7. Practice your driving on compromised friction. Use a parking lot or snowy road.  Feel what electronic stability control can do for you. Use your anti-lock braking system on both good and reduced friction. Try the traction control. You do not want to be surprised by how your vehicle reacts. 
8. If you get stuck, you may be able to get moving again by turning off the traction control and rocking the vehicle out.
9. Cut out distractions. That split second when you take your eyes and/or mind off your driving can be deadly. Driving is a priority. Slowing down is a must. Use the radio instead of the computer or text.
10. Tires: make sure you have appropriate tires with good tread. Part of the friction equation includes decent tires.

Second lesson learned: No one is exempt from the laws of physics. 

Up next: A resource for traumatized children

Be safe and serve well,
Bob