BC physicians bring trauma-informed practices to law enforcement

Policing, as Sergeant Mike Grandia knows, is ultimately about people, not simply enforcement. To support his team and colleagues, Sergeant Granda invited Shared Care-funded physicians to lead a day-long workshop on trauma-informed practices with Surrey Police Service officers and staff.  

"Adopting a trauma-informed approach isn't a treatment, or a technique; it's a paradigm shift," explained Dr Shirley Sze, family physician and chair of the Shared Care Committee's Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) working group. 

Dr Shirley Sze and her colleagues from the Child and Youth Mental Health and Substance Use Community of Practice (CYMHSU CoP) discussed how mental health crises often manifest, and ways to help those in distress. 

Sergeant Grandia's passion for his community sparked the event. While with a previous police agency, he worked with psychologist Dr Jennifer Mervyn, another presenter. He thought his Surrey Police youth team, often working with vulnerable populations, would benefit from similar training. 

"Policing is easy when all you do is show up, arrest someone who committed a crime, and take them to jail, that's it. It's emotionally disconnected," Sergeant Grandia observed. "Our youth officers, who are doing more of that connection, they’re invested; they make connections. And, while it's more work, it’s what's going to be the best thing for the present and future safety of the community." 

Other physicians, such as Dr Linda Uyeda, explained that despite their obvious differences, policing and medicine share similarities. Both hold crucial roles in the community, carrying significant responsibility and trust. 

"If my patients don't trust me, they won't move forward with me. They won't trust my advice; they won't walk with me. So, I need to recognize what may be triggering my patients," she explained, applying the same example to police officers and the communities with whom they interact. 

The ACEs working group physicians are making this workshop available to other municipal police services to spread trauma-informed practices throughout the Lower Mainland. 

This work was funded by the Shared Care Committee, one of four joint collaborative committees of Doctors of BC and the Ministry of Health.

Thank you to Surrey Police Service for being our partners in this work. 

To learn more, contact the CYMHSU CoP. 

Note: This article was last updated on October 1, 2025.