Jan 18, 2023
Host, Dr. Catherine Cerulli, a professor of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester, is joined by her guest, Moses Robinson. Moses has been a police officer with the Rochester, NY City Police Department since 1985, was a school resource officer for 21 years, and is currently a community liaison officer. His time on the force has taught him the value of forming relationships with people including children in schools, victims of violence, and offenders, some who have been victimized themselves. Through Moses work as a school resource officer, he learned that building relationships with students, particularly students of color, is one of the biggest ways to transform the divide between law enforcement and children. He discusses how early childhood interventions and utilizing trauma informed care can help save lives by creating an environment where students can grow into health adults. Moses feels it is imperative officers understand trauma and how to approach tense situations when interacting with the public. This can be done through a greater understanding of developmental models and knowledge of how trauma affects the ways people respond as well as informing officers on how to engage with citizens through a trauma informed lens. Moses highlights community engagement research and how it can enable police officers to form strong connections with the community, build significant relationships with victims, and find best practices for handling strained or traumatic situations. Moses’ overreaching message is that building relationships with the community in addition to understanding and utilizing trauma informed care approaches will give officers necessary tools to better impact society.