Dr. Fazeelat Duran, Dr. Sarah Williams, and Professor Jessica Woodhams have received support from the to pilot-test interventions aimed at improving the mental health and wellbeing of police and law enforcement staff.
This pioneering project will evaluate the effectiveness of cost-effective, evidence-based interventions designed to enhance the mental wellbeing of secondary investigators and analysts (SIAs) who work indirectly with traumatic material. The findings will inform national policies and practices, improving support for SIAs and benefiting the broader criminal justice system.
The initiative aligns with the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) strategy on "Personal Safety" and the Policing Vision 2030, which prioritises the physical and mental wellbeing of the workforce. The project will test four cost-effective strategies to improve the mental wellbeing of SIAs and inform future workforce training.
The effectiveness of these strategies will be evaluated by comparing them to a control group that will not receive any intervention beyond the standard resources and support provided by their force. The study will involve 150 participants from multiple UK police forces, recruited through their employers. Data will be collected pre-intervention, post-intervention, and three months post-intervention using questionnaires and focus groups.
