Wednesday 18th June 2025
12:00 – 13:00
Introduction
At the front end of Forensic Services’ crime scene to court model, our Search and Recovery teams provide a scene examination response from 13 locations across Scotland. We attend scenes where it has been assessed that there is forensic value in attending, whether that is to capture images, recover evidence or both in order to maximise recovery of evidence and assist with criminal investigations. Forensic scientists in our Reporting Teams will also attend at serious incidents to provide further advice and guidance when required.
As a consequence, a number of our people are repeatedly exposed to incidents which can trigger an emotional or traumatic response. A strong capacity for emotional resilience is important for our scene attending staff, primarily for their own personal wellbeing and also to enable them to continue to do their job, often in the most challenging of circumstances.
Our colleagues in the Scottish Institute for Policing Research have kindly agreed to facilitate a challenge knowledge sharing event on 18th June 2025. This Challenge event seeks to explore if /how we can identify an individual’s capacity for emotional resilience as part of our recruitment process to ensure that we recruit people who are best suited to cope with the challenges that a scene attending role can present on a daily basis.
Learning Outcomes
We hope to achieve the following learning outcomes as a result;
- Knowledge of previous research into how emotional resilience in an individual can be identified /measured
- Understanding of if/how this could be adapted into existing recruitment processes
- Knowledge of what early triggers line managers should look for when emotional resilience is compromised and best steps to take
Format
Dr Noreen Tehrani, a well-known academic/practitioner with extensive of experience working with policing as well as conducting psychological surveillance of existing Crime Scene Examiners, has kindly agreed to provide a 20-25 minute input outlining relevant research and practice around the learning outcomes as above. We will then open it up to a Q and A session primarily aimed at supporting managers in SPA Forensic Services gain a better understanding of what is possible in this area.
We have also invited recently retired Humberside Police ACC Tom McLaughlin who led the recent investigation into funeral home accused of failing to properly deal with deceased loved ones and put in place a support system for staff who experienced some awful situations during the investigation.
Our SIPR colleagues will also advertise the event across the SIPR Networks, to attract other academics and practitioners who have an interest in this area of work and who might be able to add something useful to the discission.
Next Steps
We would like to invite you, as managers within the Search & Recovery and relevant Reporting Teams, to participate in this online event to learn more about this topic, take the opportunity to ask questions and to share your experiences in this area from a management perspective.
Please confirm your availability to attend via the email address below and invites will be sent out nearer the time.
spafschangeprogramme@spa.police.uk
For a printable version of the above please click here
Many thanks in advance for your support for this event.
Joanne Tierney
Head of Change & Development
