BC physicians bring trauma-informed practices to law enforcement

Hosted by Surrey Police Service on May 28, 2025, this workshop was led by physicians from the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) working group, part of the Child and Youth Mental Health and Substance Use Community of Practice, an initiative of the Shared Care Committee. 

In May, medicine and law enforcement came together in Surrey. Physicians led a day-long workshop with Surrey Police Service officers and staff on trauma-informed practices, funded by the Shared Care Committee. They focused on how the newly established police agency can offer even more compassionate support to vulnerable community members, fostering understanding and patience in interactions.

The event included a patient with lived experience in the criminal justice system, along with physicians, clinical counsellors, and forensic services officers. They discussed the impacts of trauma, how mental health crises manifest, and practical tips for reducing these risks—such as the 4-7-8 breathing exercise to regain calm, respecting personal space, taking care with word choice, and even simple phrases to help community members regulate their emotions during an interaction with police.

'Trauma-informed practices' refers to the understanding of how trauma presents itself and what steps to take to prevent further traumatization. 

"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.

The ACEs working group is part of the Child and Youth Mental Health and Substance Use Community of Practice, a group of physicians, counsellors, and other health care professionals working together to champion care and support improvement in pediatric mental  health and substance use services.

Sergeant Mike Grandia's passion for his community drove the event's inception. During his time with his former police agency, he worked with Dr Jennifer Mervyn, a registered psychologist who also presented at the workshop. He believed his Surrey Police youth team, which often work with vulnerable populations, would benefit from similar training.

"Policing is easy when all you do is show up, arrest someone who committed a crime, take them to jail, that's it. It's emotionally disconnected," Sergeant Grandia observed. "Our officers who are doing more of that connection, especially our youth officers, it's a lot more difficult. You're invested; you make connections. But ultimately, while it's more work, it is 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. Therefore, it's their mutual duty to respect and uphold that trust for the well-being of the community.

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

The day closed with a Q&A session, where physicians and counsellors answered questions from the audience. Notably, attendees from E-Comm 9-1-1 said the presentations resonated with them, recalling a patient with schizophrenia who'd observed that what they most remembered of their last episode was how they'd been treated by first responders.

Police officers noted that the event helped them identify opportunities they may have missed in past interactions, noting that this training should be "mandatory for all police officers, not just the youth unit."

The ACEs working group physicians will refine their workshop based on the feedback and continue to engage in discussions with municipal police services to spread trauma-informed practices throughout the Lower Mainland.

Please read the post-event report for key learnings and takeaways. Questions? Contact the Child and Youth Mental Health and Substance Use Community of Practice. 

The Shared Care Committee is one of four joint collaborative committees representing a partnership between Doctors of BC and the Government of BC.