MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — A first-of-its-kind national law enforcement training focused on trauma-informed response is taking place in the Tampa Bay area this week, aiming to better equip first responders to handle crisis situations and serve vulnerable populations.
As agencies across the country continue to rethink strategies, the training emphasizes practical tools for de-escalation and a deeper understanding of how trauma affects behavior — both in the community and within law enforcement ranks.
“Through that process, what I really learned was law enforcement has a lot of unaddressed trauma,” said Dr. Randy Kaiser, a retired law enforcement officer who now travels nationwide training agencies on crisis response…