Developing Trauma Informed and Domestic Abuse Policing in a Small Overseas Police Force
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70386/ijcpe.v1i1.44Keywords:
domestic abuse, Trauma-Informed Practices, policing pedagogyAbstract
The Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) were created in 1960 when Cyprus gained independence from the United Kingdom (UK). One of 14 United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs), the SBAs contain a mix of UK military personnel and resident Cypriots, administrated through a complex mix of SBA Ordinances, European Union (EU) regulations and working arrangements with the UK and Cyprus. The SBAs can be considered ‘liminal’ spaces, and this unique liminality creates significant policing challenges. The Sovereign Base Areas Police (SBAP) is a small force with limited funding but requiring officers to develop a wide range of skills. However, unlike in England and Wales, they do not benefit from police education based on higher education principles. It is within this context that the University of the West of England (UWE) developed continuing professional development (CPD) in partnership with the SBAP. This article provides a thematic analysis of the attending officers’ response to the CPD and reflects on the findings for the SBAP and the future professional development of police forces across the UKOTs.
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