POST-certified training offered for local law enforcement officers

SIKESTON — Local law enforcement officers will have the opportunity to improve their skills of interacting with victims of trauma.

On Thursday, Sept. 14, from 8 a.m. to noon, the Sikeston Department of Public Safety will host the training session “To Protect and Serve: Interacting with Victims of Trauma in the Field,” a free and Peace Officer Standards and Training, or POST, certified training.

The Susanna Wesley Family Learning Center, the Safe House of Southeast Missouri and the Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence, or SEMO-NASV, are the sponsors of the training. 

The training event is organized by Michael Bowling, MDT coordinator for SEMO-NASV, in collaboration with Becky Holloway of the Safe House of Southeast Missouri, Emily Minner of the Scott County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Holli Childers, and Connor Bryars of the Susanna Wesley Family Learning Center.

Bowling said there will be two parts to the training exercise. The Office of Victims of Crime will give a presentation on the Missouri Victim Automated Notification System, or MoVANS, as the first session. 

“The second part will be a short probable-cause workshop in which we will go over one or two scenarios depicting sexual and domestic abuse situations and discuss appropriate actions for law enforcement to take,” Bowling said. 

Following the sessions, Bowling said the elements to include when writing a probable cause will be mentioned by representatives from the local prosecuting attorneys’ offices.

According to Bowling, the event’s goal is to give law enforcement and new officers an opportunity to learn about the complexities of working with and assisting victims of sexual and domestic violence. 

In addition, Bowling said the training’s goal is for participants to examine and discuss hypothetical abuse situations with their peers and the prosecutor’s office in order determine the best course of action while also making use of local resources including those provided by organizations such as the Susanna Wesley center, SEMO-NASV, and the Safe House, Bowling said.

Bowling said while numerous personnel of the Children’s Division are interested, the training was designed particularly for law enforcement.

“It is POST-certified,” Bowling said. “So any law enforcement who attends will receive four hours of POST credits.”

Bowling said following the Sikeston session, there will be another one in Cape Girardeau from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

Bowling also added since both sessions are identical, attendance at both sessions is not necessary. 

“We hope local law enforcement officers attend this training to learn about all the helpful resources that are available to them in the community, which exists to help them do their jobs with more ease, and provide abuse victims with sensitive and trauma-informed care and service,” he said.

To register, e-mail Bowling at mbowling@semonasv.org.