Enhancing ‘Best Practice’ in Trauma-Informed Police Education: Insights from a study exploring police educators’ and student officers’ classroom-based experiences

This paper presents findings of a study highlighting police educators’ and student officers’ experiences of teaching and learning trauma-material in the classroom. Study participants included six police educators and eight student officers. Methodology included educator semi-structured interviews, student self-reporting surveys and deductive analysis. Comparable textual data coded as themes indicative of trauma-informed teaching included: (1) ensuring safety (2) maximising choice (3) encouraging collaboration (4) establishing trustworthiness (5) prioritising empowerment and (6) promoting resilience. Findings highlight variable trauma-informed teaching practices and how knowledge trauma risk in the classroom was embedded in pedagogical practice(s). Educators’ application of trauma-informed pedagogical principles to enhance students’ psychological safety in classroom settings is evidenced as ‘best practice’.