SHIELD- Protecting Those Who Serve During the Overdose Crisis

In this 3 hour course, SHIELD trains police officers how to be safe, healthy, and more effective when performing their duties during the overdose crisis. It is a vital resource at a time when police are being asked to do more with less, while facing high risks and reduced public support.

Built on two decades of experience working with law enforcement agencies and deep knowledge of the research base, the SHIELD curriculum is practice driven and solutions-focused. It fills major training gaps, giving officers the tools they need to be safer, healthier, and more effective in these crises.

SHIELD's skills-based learning is delivered peer-to-peer by the SHIELD training team, which is led by a retired police chief and includes research staff at Northeastern University and public health experts. Using an interactive instructional design and customized local information, the three one-hour modules are delivered in a single session via Zoom.

Module 1: Resilience. Provides key facts about stress and burnout. Builds skills for recognizing and problem solving to remedy the effects of vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and toxic stress.

Module 2: Officer Safety. Provides essential information about risk levels and operational safety techniques for needlestick injuries, infectious disease transmission, and field exposure to fentanyl.

Module 3: Public Safety. Provides strategies and best practices for improving health and safety and reducing stress burdens through linkages with treatment and supportive service providers.

To register for the course, contact your Training Manager to assign the training to you via Acadis.

This course qualifies for 3 hours of continuing education credits.

*This course is intended for Law Enforcement, however, a model for Corrections is currently being developed and we invite Corrections staff to participate and provide feedback.