City of Cambridge
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The Cambridge Police Department today announced it has received a $15,945 grant from the Violence Against Women Act, Services Training Officers Prosecutors (VAWA STOP) Grant Program that will ensure the continuation of trauma-informed law enforcement training in the City of Cambridge.
“Since we initially developed a program in 2015, the trauma-informed law enforcement training has been an important step to better understanding the trauma that survivors of sexual and domestic violence, as well as responding officers, experience and identifying how to best support them,” said Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow. “It has brought about many learning opportunities that we hope in the end will improve the experience of survivors who decide to report to public safety and the city’s many service providers. Being able to continue to offer this important training to more officers and community partners is a tremendous win for survivors and the City.”
Participants in the trainings have acknowledged that it has allowed them to increase their compassion and understanding for survivors, as well as recognize the importance of self-care. Others also acknowledged that learning about the neurobiology of trauma was among the most useful information they’ve acquired in trainings and understanding how the brain responds helped them to better understand survivors with whom they had worked in the past and led them to recognize false assumptions they previously may have made.
FULL STORY: Cambridge Police Department awarded grant for continuation of trauma-informed law enforcement training