Workshops for Cops

A variety of tailored workshops for police officers and staff to build confidence, knowledge, and effective practice in responding to domestic abuse.

Commission tailored workshops to address gaps

Police forces can commission tailored workshops to address gaps that they have identified within their individual force, or commission one or more of the following courses

Officer Involved Domestic Abuse (OIDA)
Technology Facilitated Domestic Abuse (TFDA)
Responding to Domestic Abuse in Rural Communities
Domestic Abuse, Suicide, and Frontline Decision-Making
Responding to Economic Abuse
Investigating Coercive and Controlling Behaviour: Meeting Statutory and CPS Standards
Doing Less Harm: TraumaInformed Policing in Practice
Enhanced Perpetrator Understanding

Click here to get more info about each course key features

Training overview

Workshops for Cops (WFC) is a programme of targeted training workshops for police officers and staff, designed to address identified learning needs and knowledge gaps in the police response to domestic abuse.

WFC has been cocreated by SafeLives, subject matter experts, and individuals with lived experience of domestic abuse, ensuring that survivor voice remains central to all learning outcomes. The workshops are designed to complement DA Matters training and are delivered jointly by a specialist practitioner and an experienced trainer with a policing background.

Really informative, clearly linked to investigations and the examples were really powerful.

Previous learner

Time commitment

Workshops for Cops are one-day training sessions and are usually delivered in person.

Eligibility

Workshops for Cops training sessions are available to Police Officers, DA Matters Champions and other staff within Police forces that have adopted the DA Matters Change Programme.

Price

The cost for Workshops for Cops is £2800 per cohort, with sessions designed for 5 – 25 learners.

For sessions that are delivered solely online, the cost will be reduced accordingly.

For police forces commissioning multiple workshops, the equivalent cost per day will be reduced.

Accessibility

We welcome learners of all backgrounds and abilities. We encourage you to share with us any details on accessibility and diversity needs so we can ensure the right support is in place. You can also contact us if you have any queries via [email protected].

Officer Involved Domestic Abuse (OIDA)

To provide learners with insight into the lived experience of victims reporting or experiencing domestic abuse where they or the perpetrator are members of the Police Service.

To develop understanding of how police status, authority, and systems can be used as tools of power and control within abusive relationships.

To support the development of improved practices and professional approaches that recognise the complexity and unique risks associated with police perpetrated domestic abuse.

Technology Facilitated Domestic Abuse (TFDA)

To develop officers’ understanding of how technology can be used to perpetrate domestic abuse, including tracking, monitoring, harassment, and technology enabled coercive control.

To enhance officers’ awareness of the risks technology facilitated abuse poses to victims and the ways it can escalate harm and control.

To equip officers with practical skills to identify, secure, and interpret digital evidence safely and lawfully.

To improve safeguarding outcomes, case quality, and officer confidence when responding to technology related domestic abuse offences.

Responding to Domestic Abuse in Rural Communities

To develop officers’ understanding of the unique risks, barriers, and forms of control experienced by victims of domestic abuse in rural and isolated communities.

To recognise how isolation, geography, limited visibility, and close knit communities can be exploited by perpetrators to maintain control and prevent disclosure.

To enhance officers’ awareness of the heightened risks associated with access to firearms and other weapons in rural settings, including licensing considerations and risk escalation.

To improve officers’ ability to assess risk, safeguard victims, and respond effectively where access to services is limited and where firearms or weapons may be present.

Domestic Abuse, Suicide, and Frontline Decision-Making

To develop officers’ awareness of the links between domestic abuse, coercive control, and suicide risk.

To strengthen frontline decision making and safeguarding actions aimed at preventing domestic abuse related loss of life.

Responding to Economic Abuse

To increase officers’ understanding of economic abuse within the context of domestic abuse and its impact on victims and their families.

To strengthen the police response to economic abuse by improving identification, reporting, arrests, and actions that enhance victims’ economic safety and long-term outcomes.

Investigating Coercive and Controlling Behaviour: Meeting Statutory and CPS Standards.

To strengthen officers’ understanding of coercive and controlling behaviour in line with statutory and CPS guidance.

To improve investigative practice by focusing on patterns of behaviour, evidence building, and accountability.

Doing Less Harm: Trauma Informed Policing in Practice

To enhance officers’ understanding of trauma and how it impacts victim behaviour, communication, and disclosure.

To improve frontline communication and policing practice to avoid victim blaming and reduce re-traumatisation.

Enhanced Perpetrator Understanding

To enhance officers’ understanding of those who perpetrate domestic abuse, including patterns of behaviour, manipulation tactics, and how perpetrators seek to evade accountability.

To build officers’ confidence and practical skills in identifying risk and engaging in effective, motivational conversations with perpetrators across frontline and investigative roles.

Various open courses will be run online throughout the year, where forces can enrol one or more learners at a time.

To apply to an open course:

Simply click on a suitable date or button below. Maximum 4 learners per organisation for an open course.

Get in touch

If you are interested in commissioning one or more of the Workshops for Cops, please contact us.

Email the Training Commissions here

I will remind myself how important each interaction is with the police and that each occasion could be the one to encourage someone to come forward.