Evaluation of a police training on de-escalation with trauma-exposed youth

This study reports the development and evaluation of a police training workshop on de-escalating situations with trauma-exposed youth. The training was developed using a participatory action framework, with the goal of increasing knowledge of adolescent development and the impact of trauma, and promoting skills for de-escalating situations with adolescents. A mixed methods study was conducted to explore the effectiveness of the workshop. Participants were 98 current police officers and recruits. Following the training, knowledge about adolescents and self-efficacy for dealing with adolescents increased, and anxiety about working with adolescents decreased. Open-ended responses indicated that the training was well received. A brief intervention can promote police officers’ knowledge of adolescents, self-efficacy, and ease in interacting with adolescents. Future research should build on these findings to determine if these changes lead to a decrease in the use of force in interactions with adolescents.