Ethics, Culture, and Mental Health in Policing : A Need for New Thinking
Join us on April 26
UK police took a record 730,000 mental health sick days in 2022 an increase from 320,000 in 2012/13 and at least 20% of police officers have PTSD or C-PTSD and 60% of these will not be aware or have a diagnosis*
Police mental health is a complex area with many contributing factors but behaving ethically and creating the right culture are increasingly seen as key. Emerging new science is also highlighting the cumulative, whole body impact of traumatic experiences and how this can compromise decision making and the ability to act ethically.
With growing recognition of the role of moral injury and meaningfulness of work, join our Ethics, Culture and Mental Health in Policing seminar chaired by Neil Woods, author, retired detective sergeant and Chair of Law Enforcement Action Partnership Europe as we hear from experts, educators and practitioners about how new thinking and innovative delivery models can be a key part in addressing the crisis in police mental health.
Hear from Neil's own experience as a C-PTSD sufferer on the role of ethics and practice in moral injury and where he thinks improvements can be made. Learn from leading edge social justice charity Cranstoun's assistant director of criminal justice services, Darren Nicholas and Jason Harwin KPM about their work with UK police forces creating positive outcomes and reducing reoffending and, hear who this can also benefit culture and mental health within policing. Gain insight into the impacts of negative workplace culture on mental health and how this can be addressed in training for new recruits as we hear from Laura Dutton-Eves, Lecturer in Policing at the University of Salford and Jennifer Schmidt-Petersen, CPsychol, SFHEA, Programme & Student Lead, Policing Programmes at the University of Law.
The seminar will conclude as Sarko Gergerian, serving US police lieutenant and practising psychotherapist will join us remotely to teach us about his innovative recovery-oriented, public safety program combining with public health. Grow your understanding of the physiological impacts of job trauma and hear from Sarko about the potential of MDMA Therapy as a treatment for PTSD, it's imminent approval for use and how it can help serving officers, provided we develop some new thinking.
*The Job the Life, 2018
Police mental health is a complex area with many contributing factors but behaving ethically and creating the right culture are increasingly seen as key. Emerging new science is also highlighting the cumulative, whole body impact of traumatic experiences and how this can compromise decision making and the ability to act ethically.
With growing recognition of the role of moral injury and meaningfulness of work, join our Ethics, Culture and Mental Health in Policing seminar chaired by Neil Woods, author, retired detective sergeant and Chair of Law Enforcement Action Partnership Europe as we hear from experts, educators and practitioners about how new thinking and innovative delivery models can be a key part in addressing the crisis in police mental health.
Hear from Neil's own experience as a C-PTSD sufferer on the role of ethics and practice in moral injury and where he thinks improvements can be made. Learn from leading edge social justice charity Cranstoun's assistant director of criminal justice services, Darren Nicholas and Jason Harwin KPM about their work with UK police forces creating positive outcomes and reducing reoffending and, hear who this can also benefit culture and mental health within policing. Gain insight into the impacts of negative workplace culture on mental health and how this can be addressed in training for new recruits as we hear from Laura Dutton-Eves, Lecturer in Policing at the University of Salford and Jennifer Schmidt-Petersen, CPsychol, SFHEA, Programme & Student Lead, Policing Programmes at the University of Law.
The seminar will conclude as Sarko Gergerian, serving US police lieutenant and practising psychotherapist will join us remotely to teach us about his innovative recovery-oriented, public safety program combining with public health. Grow your understanding of the physiological impacts of job trauma and hear from Sarko about the potential of MDMA Therapy as a treatment for PTSD, it's imminent approval for use and how it can help serving officers, provided we develop some new thinking.
*The Job the Life, 2018
In person and online attendance options available.
Spaces are limited so early booking is advised
Location
University of Law Campus, Birmingham
133 Great Hampton Street, Birmingham, B18 6AQ
133 Great Hampton Street, Birmingham, B18 6AQ
DATE & TIME
April 26, 2024, 1:30 PM - 6:00 PM
(Lunch and refreshments provided)
(Lunch and refreshments provided)
Who Should Attend
- Police and Law Enforcement
- Criminologists
- Psychologists
- Sociologists
- Mental Health specialists
- Harm reductionists
- Policy Makers
- Criminologists
- Psychologists
- Sociologists
- Mental Health specialists
- Harm reductionists
- Policy Makers
SUPPORTED BY
AND
Key Takeaways
- Learn how displaying policing competency 'We are innovative and open-minded' can support 'We are emotionally aware'.
- Increase your awareness of the impact of mental health on ethical decision making.
- Gain insight into the crucial role of psychological safety in workplace culture.
- Hear about the emergence of moral injury as a key factor in police mental health and strategies to address this.
- Contribute to the discussion on what a good workplace culture should look and feel like.
- Hear concrete examples of compassionate and ethical policing service design.
- Learn about trauma aware service design in practice.
- Find out about 'Guardianship' and why public safety is public health.
- Increase your understanding of the physiological impacts of cumulative job stressors.
- Learn why MDMA assisted therapy is soon to become an licensed treatment for PTSD in the US and why we need new thinking for serving police officers to be able to benefit.
- Give your view on whether police should be at the front of the queue for new emerging treatments such as MDMA and psilocybin therapy.
Schedule
1:3o PM
Lunch and networking
Join us for a buffet lunch to meet and connect with fellow attendees and the speakers.
2:15 PM
Session 1: The Mental Health Crisis in Policing : Lessons from Lived Experience - ‘When is it ok to say you are not ok?’
Neil Woods will introduce the seminar, and set the context on the current situation in UK policing and highlight some of the key themes that will be covered. Neil will share lessons from his own experiences, as well as those of colleagues and ask, what does good look like and how do we enable a culture when it's ok to say you are not ok.
2:45 PM
Session 2: Innovative Approaches to Service Design and Impacts on Mental Health
Hear from Darren Nicholas, Cranstoun's Assistant Director of Criminal Justice Services on their work with West Midlands and other forces to tranform the way forces interact with vulnerable members of the community, into a more supportive and less punitive approach. Darren will be joined by Jason Harwin - KPM to give an experienced police leaders perspective on the transformative impact of these programs and also to explore how, beyond the direct benefits to reoffending and more, there can also be benefits to officers mental health and organisational culture within policing.
3:30 PM
Session 3: Is a Toxic Culture Inevitable Without Psychological Safety : Masculinity, Misogyny and Fear of Vulnerability
The aim of this session is to emphasise the impact of mental health and coping strategies on police culture and the negative and reinforcing, circular nature of this interrelationship and how it can disproportionately impact on certain groups. To set out some key challenges in breaking this cycle, we will hear from Laura Dutton-Eves, Lecturer in Policing at the University of Salford and Jennifer Schmidt-Petersen, CPsychol, SFHEA, Programme & Student Lead, Policing Programmes at the University of Law who both have direct, lived experience of the negative aspects of some police cultures. Both Laura and Jenn now play a key role in educating the next generation of police and will talk about what we should be teaching new recruits at all levels about culture, mental health and more.
4:15 PM
Refreshment Break
Take a well earned break for tea, coffee or other refreshments and chat with other attendees or meet the speakers.
4:30 PM
Session 4: Trauma in the Mind AND the Body : Cumulative Impacts of Job Stresses on Police And Innovative Approaches to Policing and Police Wellbeing
Hear police lieutenant and psychotherapist Sarko Gergerian, explain, at a high level, how trauma and job stressors have cumulative physiological as well as psychological effects, how they can impact behaviour and performance on the job. Sarko will talk about a successful, innovative, recovery oriented policing and public health program from the US that he has been leading. Sarko will also share his insights on his involvement in ground breaking clinical trials on treating trauma with MDMA assisted therapy, and how this could help tackle the mental health crisis in policing.
5:15 PM
Panel Discussion
Themes and Takeaways
Join the speakers for an interactive panel discussion where we draw on the themes discussed during the day, explore the major talking points and set the scene for follow up work on future discussions as well as any call to action.
Join the speakers for an interactive panel discussion where we draw on the themes discussed during the day, explore the major talking points and set the scene for follow up work on future discussions as well as any call to action.
6:00 PM
Networking Session
Stay and chat with your fellow attendees and guests, make connections and explore possibilities of collaborations or follow up work.