Description:

The Florida Council Against Sexual Violence is hosting a free Train the Trainer on Trauma Informed Sexual Assault Investigations. This in-person two-day event is an excellent way for Law Enforcement officers to learn alongside each other and then bring these vital skills back to the entire department or agency. This training is open to anyone who works within the movement to end sexual violence, especially Law Enforcement and prosecutors/state attorney’s office staff. Please feel free to share this event with the Law Enforcement and SAO’s within your network.

Our Trauma-Informed initiatives are unique in several respects, including their emphasis on a victim-centered and offender-focused response to sexual assault. The project was developed with subject matter experts from across Florida and the nation to create an intensive curriculum incorporating the most up-to-date sexual assault investigative and prosecutorial strategies. Using new research on the neurobiological effects of trauma, FCASV redefines the way law enforcement interviews and reporting can take place.

This training model leads to better evidence collection and corroboration which results in more successful criminal prosecution and conviction rates. A 2014 study of West Valley City Police Department in Salt Lake County, UT found that within one year of training all detectives in trauma-informed investigations, sexual assault prosecutions went from 5.5% to 24%. Jurisdictions applying the trauma-informed approach also report higher confidence and trust in law enforcement and the criminal justice system. At the completion of the training, attendees will have an increased understanding of:

• Sexual Assault—Extent of the Problem

• Victim's Rights

• Neurology of Trauma

• Trauma-Informed Response

• Signs of Lying or Signs of Trauma?

• Victim/Survivor Interviewing: Effective Interviewing and Effective Listening

• and more!

Training Address: 1950 Landings Blvd. Sarasota, FL 34231

Information: It is advisable to bring a laptop in order to actively engage in this interactive training session

There is no registration fee to attend the training.

Trainer:
Mike Schentrup

Decorated and accomplished Law Enforcement Management Professional with an extensive background in Investigations, Training, Tactical and Patrol Operations, and Community Relations. Has 21 years of dedicated service to the citizens of Gainesville, Florida with extensive experience as a major case investigator. Served numerous years as a SWAT operator and an instructor of high liability skills. Demonstrates ideal leadership, organizational, and communication skills in both the professional law enforcement setting and during civic engagements. Maintains record of accomplishment at Critical Incident Scenes and is effective at forming alliances and solidarity between sworn law enforcement and civilian staff. Proficient at liaising with local law enforcement agencies, community groups, and the general public.

Rebekah McKinzie

With over 20 years of distinguished service at the Gainesville Police Department, Rebekah McKinzie retired as a lieutenant after a career marked by leadership, innovation, and dedication to victim-centered policing. As a long-time investigator and supervisor within the Criminal Investigations Division, Rebekah played a pivotal role in GPD’s response to sexual assault cases. In 2015, while leading GPD’s Child and Sex Crimes squad, Rebekah spearheaded the department’s transition to trauma-informed practices, making Gainesville one of the first agencies in Florida to train all officers—both investigators and patrol personnel—in this progressive response model. Trauma-informed interviewing is now taught in GPD's mini academy for all new hires. Her efforts not only improved case outcomes but also significantly enhanced support for survivors. Motivated by training she received from the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence, Rebekah recognized how traditional interview techniques often failed to account for the impact of trauma, leading to misinterpretations and missed opportunities for justice. Her success at GPD led to her selection as a statewide trainer for the Council, where she now educates professionals across Florida—including law enforcement, corrections, military, prosecutors, and healthcare providers—on trauma-informed approaches to sexual assault investigations. Rebekah is also a certified instructor for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and an adjunct faculty member at Santa Fe College’s Institute of Public Safety, where she trains the next generation of police officers. Her instructional specialties include child sexual exploitation, internet crimes against children, and advanced sexual assault investigation techniques. Her investigative experience spans narcotics enforcement, complex fraud, domestic violence, sexual assault, and crimes against children.

This project was supported by Subgrant No. LN270 awarded by the state administering office for the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice's STOP Formula Grant Program. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this training are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the state or the U.S. Department of Justice.