COMMENTARY: Why police should be trained and prepared to protect children from trauma when their parents are arrested

Each year, one in 14 children in the U.S. experiences the incarceration of a parent, with many more experiencing a parent’s arrest. Children of color are disproportionately impacted due to demonstrated systemic racism in our criminal legal system. It is estimated that between 22% and 41% of these children were present at the time of arrest.

We know firsthand from our experiences as a program provider for children and families and a former police chief that seeing your mom or dad arrested can have traumatic effects on children. Research suggests that children who witness an arrest are twice as likely to have emotional and behavioral challenges compared to those who do not. It can also lead to a negative impression of police that can last well into adulthood, perpetuating strained community-police relations.

This spring, New York became a national leader in working to mitigate these harms by adopting a new accreditation standard to ensure police officers safeguard children during the arrest of a parent. There remains a lot of latitude for how departments across the state can develop their policies and training plans in order to comply with the new standard. New York’s Division of Criminal Justice Services gathered in Albany last month for its annual public safety symposium and this was among the topics considered essential to 21st-century policing. Police departments have the opportunity to play a key role in safeguarding children and improving community relations by fully and meaningfully implementing this standard and best practices into their training approach.

As first responders, police officers are in a unique position to prevent and mitigate harm. However, there is a misconception that effectively interacting with children during a parent’s arrest is common sense. Arrests can be complicated and even chaotic, and almost always traumatic for children involved, which is all the more reason to equip officers with the necessary and latest tools and skills to manage scenarios involving children.

Departments should offer their officers robust safeguarding training that is developed in collaboration with child development and trauma experts in partnership with community-based organizations like Osborne Association. These training sessions are informed by the experiences and perspectives of those who witnessed a parent's arrest and their families, who have solutions for how to best minimize trauma. These programs offer insights into children’s responses; teach the officers how to interact with children in a manner that is age-appropriate and reassuring; and provide guidance for de-escalating situations and engaging parents to cooperate for the benefit of their child. Departments should also consider weaving safeguarding children into scenario-based training for new recruits so officers can practice interacting and de-escalating.

We have seen positive responses to comprehensive training in Albany, New York City, Buffalo, and Hudson. Meaningfully implementing the new safeguarding standard presents a unique opportunity for police departments across the state to ensure children are considered and safeguarded. This promotes child well-being and will result in stronger relationships between police and the broader community, both of which benefit us all.

Tanya Krupat is Vice President of Policy and Advocacy at Osborne Association. Brendan Cox is a 23-year veteran of policing, including serving as chief of police for Albany, and is director of policing strategies at the LEAD National Support Bureau.