Police officers training on the impact of trauma on memory and recall

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.22.024683

I note you seek access to the following information:

From January 2019 to present, have you offered any training to police officers on the impact of trauma on memory and recall?

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

We have a lesson, “Vulnerable People and Risk” which is aimed at probationary constables. The lesson covers the impact of trauma, and the symptoms of someone suffering from PTSD, including how complex trauma can affect attachment, attention span, behaviour, cognition, etc. The lesson details trauma in both adults and children.

We also have some lessons directed as specialist investigators:

For Child Abuse Investigators, we present a lesson which informs them of the effects of trauma on child/brain development and also with regards to how the memory works in relation to child development. The same officers receive a lesson which talks about being ‘trauma informed’ when attempting to obtain statements from victims and witnesses.

There is a lesson for officers involved in the investigation of sudden infant death, which provides information on managing the impact this causes.
There are separate lessons, aimed at officers who work with adult victims of serious sexual assault, and those whose work involve them dealing with confidential informants. Both lessons provide officers with information regarding welfare, and trauma due to attrition.